Pink is a color that every mother hopes to purchase frilly dresses and bows in when they find out they are having a daughter. Or maybe you think of cotton candy when you think of the color pink. It isn’t often associated with men (well maybe on the golf course….), especially not those on the rodeo circuit.
Yet last December a sold out crowd at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (Wrangler NFR) in Las Vegas, was outfitted in pink. Yes Pink! And not just pink wristbands, but hats, shirts and other apparel.
That’s because in 2004, a grassroots cowboy campaign decided, that they were “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” for the cause of Breast Cancer Research.
Tough Enough to Wear Pink was created five years ago when Terry Wheatley teamed up with former director of special events at Wrangler, Karl Stressman (now commissioner of the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association) and issued a challenge: wear the color pink during competition at the Wrangler NFR. The idea was to bring attention to the need for breast cancer early detection and a cure. The industry rose to the challenge as cowboys filled the arena with the symbolic color. Inspired rodeo fans began asking how they could put on TETWP events at their own hometown rodeos, and the grassroots fundraising took off, one rodeo at a time.
Through the combined efforts of hundreds of volunteers and regional rodeos across the U.S. and Canada, TETWP has raised $7.5 million since its inception in 2004. The money raised benefits local breast cancer charities and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which funds breast cancer research projects internationally.
The program is sponsored by Wrangler and Terry, Katie and Lacey Wheatley help rodeos and other non-rodeo organizations create the pink-themed fundraisers across the country.
TETWP was founded in 2004 by Terry Wheatley, a California businesswoman who owns and operates Canopy Management, the Napa Valley wine company she started in 2008. One of the wines, Purple Cowboy, has been designated the official wine of TETWP, with a buck donated for every case sold (up to $50,000).
How Tough Enough to Wear Pink makes a difference:
Besides the $5 million that has been raised during the rodeo fundraisers, if you donate $1 on their site, they’ll give $1 too!
Tough Enough to Wear Pink is giving one of my readers their Summer Tank in your choice of size. It comes in sizes small – xxl.
To enter the giveaway visit the Tough Enough to Wear Pink store and tell me another product that you like that they sell to help find a cure. You can enter daily.
For extra entries you can:
Sign up for the TETWP Newsletter – leave in the comments the e-mail you signed up with (2 extra entries)
Follow TETWP on Twitter – leave your Twitter ID in the comments (1 extra entry)
Like TETWP on Facebook – leave your Facebook ID in the comments (1 extra entry)
Open to US & Canadian Residents ages 18+, ends August 21, 2010 at 11:59 PM CST. Winner will be notified by email and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. By entering this giveaway you are stating that you have read my **Privacy/Rules statements and agree to them.
Disclosure of Material Connection: This post was written for no compensation for Tough Enough to Wear Pink who is providing the giveaway product.
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