Our friends at Invitation Consultants, who you’ll recall also offers a line of bridal shower invitations to benefit Pink Initiative, decided get their entire company involved in Pink Initiative’s October 10K Challenge by asking employees to wear pink on a designated day. For every person who did, Invitation Consultants donated $5 to Pink Initiative. Thanks to the 15 participants and your $75 contribution to our efforts! We love this idea!

Name: Edna Dratch-Parker
Business Name: EFD Creative Event Planning & Design Owner
Location: Massachusetts / New England
Favorite use of pink: My lipstick of course…the kind with a little shimmer!

Why you got involved: Cancer strikes too many families, including my own. I have lost an aunt, a cousin and my grandmother for whom I was named. I also have friends who are living with breast cancer. It’s far too prevalent and causes great distress for families. We need a cure in our lifetime!

Thank you for joining Pink Initiative’s efforts, Edna, and thanks so much for your recent $100 donation!

Heidi Bartlett, owner of Idieh Design in Phoenix, created an ensemble consisting of three blank note cards, a bookplate, three inspirational cards, and a handmade bookmark.  In addition to the ensemble, the lucky winner will receive a copy of Matthew Kelly’s, The Book of Courage. To win this inspirational and unique stationery ensemble, all you have to do is comment on Heidi’s blog post with your favorite inspirational quote! Comment by Friday, October 30th, 11:59pm MST to be eligible to win.  Heidi will announce the winner during the week of November 2nd.

Click the image below to check out Heidi’s blog and enter!

If you don’t win and would love to purchase this ensemble, they are $35 each with $16 donated directly to Pink Initiative and the remaining covering the cost of the book and shipping and handling.

Name: Megan Clouse
PI role: secretary
Business affiliation: Megan Clouse Photography
Location: Sonoma, California
Hometown: Forestville, California
Favorite use of pink: hot pink cashmere cardigan

Why I got involved: As a wedding photographer and a recent breast cancer conqueror, I feel passionate about being a positive face and role model to the women who have been diagnosed or someday will be. My thoughts, humor and candor have helped women locally, and I’m excited to branch out, lock arms with Pink Initiative and combine our passions so we can make a difference.

The board is so excited to welcome California wedding photographer Megan Clouse to our board of directors. Her warmth, kindness and insight is a fantastic addition to our team. Please take a moment and browse her personal blog that journals her battle with breast cancer here.

Thank you, also, for your recent $100 donation, Megan!

Kudos to Dallas photographer Paul Ernest for hosting a portrait series to benefit Pink Initiative. Good luck this weekend and next, Paul, and thanks so much for your commitment to our cause!

Sea Bags totes are made from recycled sails from around the world and constructed in the US. These trendy totes are a sought-after accessory used as handbags, diaper bags, beach bags, and bridesmaids gifts. Co-owner Beth Shissler recently contacted Pink Initiative founder Emilie Sommer requesting to partner on a project. Together, they created a custom wine bag to present to attendees of the luxury wedding conference engage!09 the encore in Las Vegas. Read more about this event over at Emilie’s blog here.

A limited edition Pink Initiative wine and a new tote bag will be available to the public for purchase soon! Watch this blog for details.

Thank you, Sea Bags!

Pink Initiative vendor sponsor Kelly Segré is hosting a portrait promotion this month to benefit PI! If you live in the Ventura, California, area, be sure to contact Kelly asap to schedule your session!

Our latest e-newsletter was delivered to inboxes earlier this week announcing our Be the Change $10,000 Challenge for October and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

This month, we challenge YOU to join our efforts and create an event that initiates positive change to help the 1 in 8 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, and the 1 in 100 men. Together, let’s raise $10,000!!

Not sure how to start? You could host a pink wedding cake & tea party in your area, a Boobies for Boudoir portrait party or donate a planning or make-up consultation. Create a pink product all your own. Get creative! Share a percentage of your income for the month, quarter, or year to Pink Initiative. Brainstorm an event or product that best suits your business, and then announce on your blog and send an e-newsletter to your address book. Let us know, too, and we will post on our blog as well. Funds raised on your own may be submitted to Pink Initiative by check (PO Box 2703, South Portland, ME 04116) or via PayPal (payments to info@pinkinitiative.org).

Or, let us help you get started! We have partnered with givezooks!, an online one-stop fundraising marketplace where you can easily create a webpage for your grassroots event to share with your friends, family and colleagues to drum up support, collect and track your donations directly. Check out Pink Initiative board member Kelsie Knight’s page below that she created for a marathon she is running to raise money for PI (click snapshot below to enlarge).

Click here to read our e-newsletter in its entirety. And thank you in advance for your help this month, and always!

Last month Chicago wedding coordinator Ali Phillips of Engaging Events by Ali joined forces with photographer Kurt Gerber and the Midwest Wedding & Event Professionals to host a charity golf tournament, Swing for a Cure, to benefit Pink Initiative and raised over $2,300! 40 golfers hit the links at Crane’s Landing in Lincolnshire, Illinois, boasting their best pink duds and 65 feasted on a yummy bbq and the musical stylings of the Larry King Orchestra to toast their efforts. Thanks to event sponsor Deja Views for sharing the photos below.

Way to go, Ali!! We adore you and are so touched by this grassroots success!!

Vendor sponsors, are you on Twitter? We are! Be sure to follow www.twitter.com/PinkInitiative to learn about up to the minute news and information.