With Breast Cancer month in just a few days, I think its fit for me to blog about a Breast Cancer organization in my own neighborhood called “Providence Bobby Brigade”. Providence Bobby Brigade arose out of a small group of women from a community in Davenport, Florida, called “Providence. A small group of women would meet every month for “book club” just to discuss a selected book of that month. At one meeting, a member of the book club, Becky Gallagher was noticeably absent. Becky had been a proud breast cancer survivor for a year, but had learned her breast cancer had returned and she had to undergo treatment. Sadly, Becky never returned to book club, She lost the battle to cancer on January 6th 2012. While everyone in the book club mourned the loss of a founding member, the loss opened a line of communication that had, thus far, been untapped. The members of the book club learnt that breast cancer one way or another had affected everyone in their group. They were a group of survivors, supporters and mourners.
In September 2012, three Providence Book Club members attended the Orlando Kick of Party for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 2012 5k Walk, they left the party as Providence Bobby Brigade with a goal to raise $2500 in just five weeks. On October 20, 2012 seventeen members of the newly formed Providence Booby Brigade proudly wore their blinged out pink bras and strutted through the streets of Orlando for the 5k Walk. In just five short weeks, Providence Bobby Brigade raised more than $5,000 and was a top five non-corporate fundraiser for the event. For its efforts, Providence Booby Brigade was awarded a “silver strider” medal by the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer organization. The following year in 2013 with the support of generous donors in and around the community and across the United States Providence Bobby Brigade raised over $15,000 gaining a “Gold Strider” Status. They also received an award for being the number one local community for fund raised.
Providence Booby Brigade is supported by many individuals and local business in the community who come to and donates their time, money and goods or services to our fundraising events.
There are three major events each year:
• Pink Party Event and Silent Auction
• Providence Booby Brigade Calendar
• Pink Classic Golf Tournament.
Other events that are held are;
• Bake sales once a week.
• Painting classes.
• Hand made soaps for sale.
• Boulevard sale (Yard sale at club house).
• Card making classes.
• Pancake Breakfast
• Fundraiser nights at Logan’s Roadhouse
• Ice Cream Social
• Penny Challenge
For more events and information you can check out Providence Bobby Brigade on Facebook!
Providence Booby Brigade was inspired by the loss of a member of the Providence Book Club. It is fueled by sprit and memory of families and friends who have loved and lost to breast cancer over the years. And, it survives today out of sheer devotion and determination to eradicate this disease, so that one day our children and grandchildren never have to hear the dreaded words “breast cancer.”
