Turnage Carr of Carthage stands under a 14-foot bra to talk about his wife, who died from breast cancer. 3,174 bras cross the bridge for bucks....
A size 52J brassiere donated by the original Sweet Potato Queen and author, Jill Conner Browne, hangs on the U.S. 80 Bridge Thursday.For nearly a year after his wife died following a four-year struggle with breast cancer, Turnage Carr could not find the strength to go through his wife’s dresser drawers or closet and part with her clothes.
“It just hurt too much,” said Carr, of Carthage.
But while listening to the radio last week, Carr heard about a project in Vicksburg called Bras for Breast Cancer — which aimed to raise awareness about breast cancer and provide money to the American Cancer Society by stretching donated bras across the 1.6-mile span of the U.S. 80 bridge over the Mississippi River.
When he got home, Carr went through the dresser of his late wife, Dolores, collected her bras and drove them 100 miles to Vicksburg.
On Thursday morning, Carr joined cancer survivors and others who have lost loved ones to breast cancer in stringing 3,174 bras across the bridge. Riverwalk Casino, which opened last week, had pledged to donate $1 for every bra collected over the past month at more than a dozen sites in Vicksburg and Jackson. However, due to a private matching donation from an anonymous Riverwalk executive, the casino donated a total of $6,348 to the American Cancer Society.
“We were incredibly amazed at how well this idea was received and are so grateful to be the recipient of this donation,” said Kelly Lindsay, American Cancer Society director of marketing. “This money will help us further our fight against breast cancer by doing research and providing education about prevention and early detection. It will also help us with our advocacy efforts and fund patient support programs.”
Some of the bras were hung on the bridge Wednesday, and the span was completed Thursday morning around 10. By noon, they were all removed. About 500 of the bras were donated to the Mountain of Faith Ministries’ Woman’s Restoration Shelter in Vicksburg, which provides assistance to homeless women and children. Some of the bras will also be used in the ribbon cutting ceremony at the official grand opening of Riverwalk, which is set for Dec. 11-13.
“I had never heard of anything like this, but when I saw all those bras stretched across the bridge it just touched my soul,” said Tina Hayward, executive director of the shelter.
A check for $431.37 was also presented to the American Cancer Society from Repeat Street thrift store in Ridgeland.
Ginny Tzotzolas, Riverwalk marketing director, said the casino had originally set out to collect 1,000 bras, and was so impressed by the public support that it’s hoping to string bras across the bridge annually to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
The Bras for Breast Cancer event was spearheaded by radio conglomerate Clear Channel Communications — which owns several stations in Jackson, but none in Vicksburg. Herman Smith, superintendent of the U.S. 80 bridge, said he fully supports the event.
“I know there were a lot of people against this; putting up personal items across the bridge, but breast cancer is a personal issue. I support it 100 percent,” said Smith, whose mother died in 1989 after a five-year battle with breast cancer.
A train travels east on the U.S. 80 Bridge as more than 3,000 bras line the rail. (Meredith Spencer*The Vicksburg Post)
2 comments:
What a way to adorn the railroad bridge, very inventive! Would certainly get people's attention. ;)
Well....you don't see this everyday and of course it was for a worthy cause. Thanks for dropping by my friend! :)
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