The Wyoming Breast Cancer Initiative (WBCI) held their second Annual Bras with a Cause fundraising event on Tuesday, Oct 11.
As defined by their mission statement, “The Wyoming Breast Cancer Initiative (WBCI) is a volunteer-led nonprofit organization that aims to increase breast cancer awareness and prevention across Wyoming.”
The event served three major purposes: honoring breast cancer survivors, educating those in attendance about grants available, and fundraising.
The event raised over $13,000. Despite having roughly the same number of attendees as last year, the event “raised approximately 61 percent more [money]” according to Kelly Morgan, the Executive Director of the WBCI.
The event’s focal point was a live auction in which attendees had the opportunity to bid for and buy bras decorated by citizens and organizations within the community.
“We are holding tonight’s event to bring awareness. It’s an engaging, fun event,” Morgan said.
“Also to raise funds for the Wyoming Breast Cancer Initiative. Those funds are donated to our organization, and then we throw them back out there to help others around the state,”
Over 23 decorated bras were auctioned off, with the most expensive, titled Support Angels donated by the IMH Cancer Center, selling for $775.
“A lot of the bras that you see tonight are made by survivors or people who actually support survivors,” Morgan said.
In between the sessions of the live auction, Laurie Heath, Vice President of the WBCI Board, offered brief explanations of grants and programs offered by the WBCI and honored survivors of breast cancer in the local community.
There was also a silent auction of various different items, including spa baskets, quilts, and a cooler, donated by individuals and organizations within the community.
Roxie’s on Grand provided the venue and hors d’oeuvres for the event.
“We always want to see it grow year to year, so I think we had hoped to see a few more people, but it’s a Tuesday night, it’s a work night. Really, I think it turned out pretty well,” Morgan said.
In the end those in charge of the event were thankful for the support of the community, and very pleased with how the event turned out.
“I appreciate Roxy’s for allowing us to do it here, it’s a great venue, and [I appreciate] the volunteers and the community that came out to support the event,” Morgan said.
“I think it turned out really, really well.”
