Think Pink: Breast Cancer Awareness Events in the Bloomingdale-Riverview Area

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and, whether you love to shop, attend events, walk or run, there are tons of different ways to support the cause. Check out the list below of opportunities to go pink in Bloomingdale-Riverview and beyond:

Project Cure Walk

St. Stephen Catholic Church will host its 3-Day Walk for the Cure, the pro-life alternative to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk, Friday through Sunday, Oct. 26-28.

Teams are forming now to participate in the Project Cure three-day walk for a cure to breast cancer. In addition to the 60-mile, three-day walk, the church is hosting two four-mile Family Fun Walks on Saturday, Oct. 27 and Sunday, Oct. 28 at 9 a.m. The walk will begin at Bloomingdale East Park on Natures Way.

Organizers also are seeking donations and sponsors. For more information or to register, see the church website or email project_cure@ststephencatholic.org.

Plaza Bella Goes Pink

The merchants at Plaza Bella on Bloomingdale Avenue in Valrico will host the fifth annual Plaza Bella Goes Pink walk to support breast cancer research and the patients who are affected by breast cancer.

This year's walk is dedicated to Antoinette Cuellar, who died in May after a battle with breast cancer. Cuellar was the spokeswoman for the walk for two years.

The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, Oct. 20. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the walk will begin at 9 a.m. The first 300 people to register will receive a goodie bag. Participants can register at The Green Boutique or Orange Home Accessories. The registration fee is $35. Residents also can donate $5 for a pink ribbon in honor of a loved one. Bows will be displayed on the Pink Ribbon Pathway during the day of the Plaza Bella Goes Pink walk.

Participants can choose to walk the 5K Challenge or the shorter Diva Strut. Walkers are welcome to dress up in costumes or pink clothing.

The event also will feature music and refreshments.

Money raised will go to the Vera Bradley Foundation for breast cancer research and the American Cancer Society.

In addition to these local events, Florida residents will be participating in:

Making Strides

Put on your pink bra and join the American Cancer Society for its Making Strides Against Breast Cancer noncompetitive, 3.2-mile fundraising walk celebrating breast cancer survivors. The pink bra is an empowering symbol of how personal the fight against breast cancer is. The "Put On Your Pink Bra" walk will take place Saturday, Oct. 20 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, 401 Channelside Dr., Tampa. Registration is at 8 a.m. and the walk begins at 9:30 a.m. To register, visit the website.

PINKTOBER

PINKTOBER at Seminole Hard Rock Casino Tampa will take place through Saturday, Oct. 22. Seminole Hard Rock Casino Tampa will donate 25 percent of the proceeds from its “Get into Bed” PINKTOBER “Pink Sheets” guest room bookings to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Guests can request to stay in the limited availability “Pink Sheets” rooms at no additional cost. In addition to having 25 percent of their room rate donated to BCRF, guests will also receive a complimentary commemorative Hard Rock pin. The select guestrooms will also be supplied with special collectible PINKTOBER bathrobes that can be purchased in the Body Rock Spa and Seminole Hard Rock Retail Store, with a portion of the proceeds donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Pretty in Pink

Blue Martini, 2223 N.W. Shore Blvd., Tampa, in International Plaza will host its second annual Pretty in Pink party to raise funds for the Moffitt Cancer Center. Ladies will recieve receive complimentary admission and their first raffle entry. Prizes include designer items such as handbags, spa packages and much more. Their will be drink specials throughout the night and the party will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22.

Bands for Boobies

The second annual Bands For Boobies, an afternoon music fest, will take place at Crabby Bills on Rocky Point from noon to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15. This festival benefits My Hope Chest and breast reconstruction for "uninsured" breast cancer survivors. The cost is $15 per person.

Crack-Up Cancer

The sixth annual Crack-Up Cancer Benefit will take place Wednesday, Oct 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Tampa Improv, 1600 E. Eighth Ave., Tampa. The event will feature comedians Catherine Maloney, Mike Rivera and Tim Pulnik.

Dining for a Cure

Formal Dining for a Cure will take place Saturday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 7 at noon at the Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore Hotel, 2225 N. Lois Ave., Tampa. Organized by Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, this is a charity event to help raise awareness for breast cancer and to allow donors to find out more information on what different organizations do. The cost is $50 and includes door prizes, an auction and a raffle.

Commemorative Stamp

You can also support breast cancer research by affixing a special stamp to your mail. The U.S. Postal Service has been selling a stamp commemorating breast cancer awareness for the past 15 years. The agency has raised $75 million so far for research programs at the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense.

Susan G. Komen 3-Day

Avon Walk For Breast Cancer

TELL US: Is there a special event you participate in to support breast cancer research? Share your stories and thoughts with us by adding them to the comments sections of this article. Also, be sure to add photos of you and your friends supporting the cause to the photo gallery above.