Community Corner

Plaza Bella Goes Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness

A breast cancer awareness walk will take place Saturday, Oct. 22.

Plaza Bella on the corner of Bloomingdale Avenue and Bell Shoals Road is going pink this month as it prepares to host its annual breast cancer walk.

, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 22, in conjunction with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, is the brainchild of Green Boutique owner Roz Creager, a 10-year American Cancer Society board member.

"I originally chaired the breast cancer survivor fashion show but we decided to do something a little different," Creager said. "We didn't have a breast cancer walk in Brandon so we decided to start one."

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Compared to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure 3-Day Walk, which requires participants to walk 60 miles over three days, the Plaza Bella breast cancer walk is a cinch.

"Walkers have two choices of routes," Creager said. "The Diva Strut goes from Plaza Bella to the Bloomingdale Regional Library and back. And the 5K Challenge takes walkers from Plaza Bella to Natures Way in Bloomingdale East and back."

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Registration is at 8 a.m. and the walk begins at 9 a.m. Oct. 22. Walkers also can pre-register at The Green Boutique, 1032 Bloomingdale Ave.

The registration fee is $40 for individuals and $35 for members of teams of five or more. The fee includes a specially designed T-shirt and a shopping tote from Vera Bradley with goodies inside. Residents can also donate $5 for a pink ribbon to line a pathway in honor of a loved one.

In addition, there will be raffle prizes including a Brighton handbag, a collector's University of Florida print and a bracelet from Kameleon.

One of Plaza Bella's newest tenants, the Original Leena's Chocolates, will be on hand with gourmet coffee, a local breast cancer survivor will be the guest speaker and disc jockey Chris Heath of Big Beat Entertainment will spin records.

Also that day, The Green Boutique will have a trunk show of Brighton and Kameleon accessories and a drawing.

"It's always a lot of fun," Creager said. "Everybody comes dressed in pink, even the men, and some people even bring their dogs."

Last year the event attracted more than 300 walkers and raised $16,000 for the American Cancer Society and the Vera Bradley Foundation for breast cancer research.

In conjunction with the walk, Tammy Holmberg, owner of Chick-fil-A in Lake Brandon Village, is hosting a "Movies for Boobies" night at the AMC Regency 20 theater in Brandon on Thursday, Oct. 6.

"This is going to be a really great event," Creager said. "We've reserved three theaters at the Regency."

Tickets are $20 and include the movie, What's Your Number?, popcorn, a drink and a Chick-fil-A dinner served with wines and chocolates from the Original Leena's Chocolates.

"Ladies and gentlemen, too, are invited to wear a decorated bra," said Creager. "Anyone who comes wearing a decorated bra over their shirts will be entered to win a spa package from Day Dreams."

In addition, said Creager, Total Imaging will be on hand with breast cancer information.

Tickets are available at The Green Boutique, the Osprey Observer, 900 Lithia-Pinecrest Rd., Valrico, and the Lake Brandon, 11325 Causeway Blvd., Brandon.


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