Volunteers in the Poplarville area plan to paint the town pink with fundraisers throughout October to benefit locals who are battling breast cancer.

The fundraisers will culminate in a Paint the Town Pink event that will offer a health fair and breast cancer walk on Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pearl River County Hospital and Nursing Home.

The walk is hosted by the Pearl River County Hospital and Nursing Home, the Rotary Club of Poplarville, the Poplarville Women’s Club and the Pearl River Community College.

In 2018, they raised $11,000, which was given to four local breast cancer patients, said Tara Rouse, a Paint the Town Pink committee member from the PRCC Wellness Clinic.

The walk is in its seventh year, said committee member JoLynn Davis with the Pearl River County Hospital and Nursing Home. When it began, the walk—which was then known as Making Strides—split the funds it raised between national organizations and locals in need, Davis said. However, three years ago, the group combined forces with the already existing local organization Paint the Town Pink. Now all donations the group receives are distributed to local women and men battling breast cancer, Davis said. The committee, which includes representatives from all four hosts decides how to distribute the funds.

The event will be a free fun day for families, with activities like fun jumps, retail vendors and a silent auction. All hospital departments will participate in the health fair, Davis said.

People can support the event by attending, Davis said.

Local businesses can show their support by becoming event sponsors or vendors, Rouse said. The deadline to book a sponsorship is Sept. 27.

Pre-event fundraisers include Paint the Town Pink T-shirts, which can be purchased for $20 until Oct. 14 from Rouse, who can be contacted at trouse@prcc.edu. Supporters can also purchase smoked meat, including ribs, pork loin and leg quarters for $20 to $30 until Oct. 23, from Sabrina Brown, who can be contacted at slbrown@prcc.edu. Both T-shirts and smoked meat can be picked up at the walk.

New this year, the group will hold a PRCC baseball and softball hitting clinic for 5 to 12-year -olds on Oct. 22 at 5:30 p.m. with head PRCC baseball coach Michael Avalon and head softball coach Christie Meeks. The hitting clinic is $20. For more information about the hitting clinic email Coach Avalon at mavalon@prcc.edu or Coach Meeks at cmeeks@prcc.edu.

For more information on the health fair and walk, contact Brown at 601-795-1530, Davis at 601-240-3508 or Rouse at 601-403-1342.