Rome Paints The Town Purple For ‘Relay For Life’

The American Cancer Society is seeking businesses and organizations in Rome to get involved in the Relay For Life movement by displaying purple ribbons and other decorations on May 16th & 17th. Purple is the signature color of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life program, which represents all cancers.

Show off your purple, use purple ribbon, purple balloons, purple candy, wear purple, decorate purple, go purple! Last year, nearly 50 businesses and schools took part by decorating their windows, lobbies, and counters with purple merchandise, decorations, and balloons. Many businesses did ‘purple’ dress down days by encouraging employees to wear purple and did special purple-themed sales during the day.

Relay For Life in Rome is preparing to ‘Paint the Town Purple’ to raise excitement for their upcoming Relay For Life on June 3rd and to show support for all those battling cancers.

Volunteers will go around to the various businesses on Wednesday, May 16th to judge their decorations and displays, with judging for schools on Thursday, May 17th. Winners will be selected for a number of categories, including: ‘

• Best of Show
• Most Purple People
• Purplize Your Merchandise
• Most Creative Use of Purple

Winners will be notified the following week and awards presented at the closing ceremonies at this year’s Relay For Life on June 3rd. Businesses planning to take part and wishing to have volunteer judges stop by should email RomeRelay@gmail.com before May 11th.

“This is a fun, easy and creative way to make people aware that Relay For Life is coming and to show support for those battling the disease,” explained Sue Hanson, Volunteer Coordinator for Mission & Advocacy at the Relay For Life of Rome, “It’s wonderful to see so many businesses and schools participating each year. We look forward to it and hope they do, too!”

The Relay For Life program is a community event where teams and individuals set up campsites at a school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team has at least one participant on the track at all times. Cancer survivors and caregivers take a celebratory first lap to start each event. Four million people participated in more than 6,000 events worldwide last year. The money raised supports groundbreaking cancer research, education and prevention programs, and critical services for people facing cancer. The Relay For Life of Rome event will take place Saturday & Sunday, June 2nd & 3rd at the NYS School for the Deaf in Rome.

For more information about how to participate in painting your town purple and the larger Relay For Life of Rome movement, visit relayforlife.org/RomeNY or call 1-800-227-2345.

Bonus Video: