Leechburg's Pink Day festival sets attendance and fundraising record
Attendance at the 2022 Pink Day fundraiser for breast cancer research in Leechburg reached an all-time high.
And so did the monetary donations.
The annual daylong celebration and festival, held Sept. 17 on Market Street in downtown Leechburg, welcomed more than 10,000 attendees and raised more than $41,000, according to founder and organizer Sherry Price.
“This tells me the word about Pink Day has spread,” Price said. “I absolutely love seeing Market Street flooded with people. It’s just amazing. All of the activity, excitement and fellowship makes it worth the work involved to make Pink Day the wonderful event it has become.”
Price said she was a bit worried earlier this year when donations were down.
“I was skeptical that we would surpass last year’s figure,” she said. “When people ask, ‘So how’d we do?’ it makes me smile because it lets me know Pink Day is all of us. It belongs to the people who support it. They feel some ownership, some responsibility. This makes me a happy girl.”
All proceeds benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Last year’s event raised $38,600.
To date, Pink Day has raised more than $213,000 in 11 years.
Pink Day supporter and vendor Kira Karpinski of Gilpin praised the record-breaking news.
“This is fantastic. Congratulations, Sherry. You keep reaching new heights,” Karpinski said. “Thanks for putting together such an awesome festival.”
Price, who is in remission from breast cancer, said she will take about a month off before resuming preparations for next year’s Pink Day.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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