News

Giving back: Volunteers plant seeds of hope

BY Ana Mantica, Content Editor

Fort Wayne, Indiana (May 9, 2008) — The Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer greatly relies on their amazing group of dedicated volunteers to help organize and run events, such as Turn the Pink, which all help raise money for breast cancer research. This year volunteers spent countless hours carefully tying and preparing each of the 1,200 ribbons displayed throughout downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, for the Foundation's annual Turn the Town Pink campaign.

“This cause means so much to me,” said Sue Wojecwuczki, who has served as co-chair of the Foundation’s Turn the Town Pink campaign for the last three years. “It’s great to work with such an amazing committee. I can just feel their excitement.”

Wojecwuzki also bought ribbons this year for her two daughters and also in the name of her husband’s grandmother who had breast cancer. “This is just one way to honor all of those women who have been touched by breast cancer in some way,” she added.

Ruth Cook, who has been volunteering for the Foundation since it was founded ten years ago, also bought several ribbons and further showed her support by attending Friday’s events downtown. “I buy pink ribbons every year because I have a mother, a sister and three daughters, and I want a future for all of them without breast cancer. Cook’s family is also involved with the Foundation. She brought her 20-year-old daughter Bliss with her to the festivities.

“I’ve been volunteering since I was really young. I remember one year helping my mom tie close to 700 ribbons!” said Bliss. “But it means so much to me. Every ribbon has a story and that’s so special. It’s beautiful to see the whole town turn pink.”