Pink Heals News

Eight thousand miles and dozens of Cities and we still have lots of work to do!

2011-10-03T04:46:00.000-07:00

As we make our way through Florida, I realize how much work we still need to do to get our voice heard. People still are taking our logo and attaching it to specific causes (Ribbons) and not the women of their communities. We have become a brand, with this brand we represent our women, our communities and most importantly LOVE! They are suppose to use this brand, fund raise and then share the money with local organizations that help our women battling cancer and other issues. If we wear her color not because she's sick but because she represents love, selflessness, family, home, then Pink will Really Heal!
There is a reason we refer to our Country (United States) as SHE or HER, these two small words remind us that we need to protect and fight for our freedom it comes from our Love for our Country! The same goes for the women in our lives and around the World. Our brand is about people and it's not attached to a specific cause, if we rally around this brand and it's given for free, it will become the World's most powerful movement. know one can side step this calling to action because it's not in service to ourselves based on a personal struggle, with a specific disease. It is just doing what we where put here to do and that is put her first, stand together and take care of our families and communities.

I do have to admit that being called Guardians of the Ribbon can be a little confusing but in the beginning we wanted to protect all awareness ribbons and yes we do drive pink fire trucks. Komen has done a wonderful job in the area of research and marketing the pink ribbon to support breast cancer. We are just a little more profound in our approach and bring all people to take action in the fight for our women, families and communities. If our communities rally together for each other and not large organizations, then they control their destiny, large organizations will have to build infastructure close to these communities and thus create jobs, money raised stays home and then we can get CARE immediately! Pink Heals!

Learning to pace myself as we travel across the Country!

2011-09-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

     One Month into this years tour and the emotional toll is quite exhausting, I battle trying to get the message out to all the media and leaders in the community, while trying to balance meeting so many people out there battling cancer. We are so much more than just an awareness campaign and our program is what the Country needs in a time where we have a hard time trusting our Leaders locally and nationally as well. I feel the pain in communities that have tried to work hard and around them their leaders have sold their labor of love.
     You would think that all fundraising done in our local communities, Counties and States would make it a requirement that we keep all the money locally, but very few States require that the money stays in their own State. Millions of dollars could be saved to generate jobs, save jobs and even provide immediate care for their own people, if we just kept the money generated by our labor of love.
     We have asked for nothing and give everything away because love has always been free, if we are in service to others it's never about the money. I love what it means to be an American, I love what it means to be in service to others based on true volunteerism, this is what has made America what it is.
Pink Heals!

Becoming International sets the bar real high!

2011-09-11T04:29:00.000-07:00

Now that we have visited our chapter in Quebec, we can officially say that we've become an International organization. We have firefighters in Iraq wearing our shirts and hopefully we will get some fire trucks painted pink and moving throughout the highways of Germany, Australia and the Philippines. These are the Countries that have showed interest in our program.
What Cities and departments across the Country still need to realize is that we are creating a movement with our program. We are branding this movement with our tour every year by building trust and spreading the same message over and over again. Putting our women first, not because she is sick but because she should be first. Men who are men realize this, leaders who truly have God given leadership abilities realize this. So that is why you see so many of our pink fire trucks with our symbol and our mission statement being driven throughout the Country. If you see a pink fire truck on the road and they don't look just like our National tour trucks, they aren't a part of our program.

Nothing like a platform to explain our movement!

2011-09-04T18:54:00.000-07:00

We had a great stop in Hardin County thanks to Chief Steve New. He and his staff and firefighters along with the citizens of his community really put on a first class event. Now I know why in the old days Presidents went to small town USA to campaign, they truly know what community is all about and they still have that sense of serving others based on Love!
I have to say the parade and the placement of "Our Ribbon of Hope" statue was perfect. It was right in front of the American Flag, with a stage just in front of that. It really brought out a lot of emotion for me and I really got the message out about our program.

We are going to create the Worlds largest brand to give away for free to help communities raise money, save jobs and even create jobs. What if the number one brand in the World was a symbol of love based on what our women mean to us and it was given to each and every community so they in turn could create funds to help people pay their unforeseen costs due to cancer. If we are willing to drive thousands of miles around the country imprinting this brand for free and we are willing to give it to you so you can use this brand to raise money and help your own people, it becomes perfect! This is the next evolution in fundraising, this is a program that all our Politicians can wrap their arms around and limits their ability to turn the other cheek. It brings them back to the front lines and lets them stand right with us as we celebrate our own people. What if we create an immediate care program in each community based on fundraising year round by our people in each community. You cannot tell me it won't work, I was told fireman wearing t-shirts wouldn't work and now we have forty pink fire trucks in three different countries and thousands of fire departments wearing our symbol all around the Globe. We will be the largest fire department in the World in the next five years and it will be all based on love and what our women mean to us! Pink Heals!

Making up stops as we go!

2011-09-01T20:02:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting in a Hampton Inn just outside Nashville in a town called Mt. Juliet. We have just eaten at a retired firefighters house in a Del Webb development whose wife is currently battling breast cancer. We met Mike and Jeanne George at our last event at a YMCA on the far West side of Nashville and they invited us over for some home cooked food. It is amazing when you travel the Country doing what we're doing, you get to meet great people and the stories you hear are amazing.
It's amazing how many drivers, firefighters, real men and women that want to help us get across the Country spreading our program to so many afflicted with cancer and to so many Cities that need to establish new programs for their people.
When we pick Cities to visit we make contact with their local Fire Chief, Police Chief, Union Presidents, Mayor and if we have the time some of the Cancer organizations in each community. Very few tell us their not interested, very few of them once they see our press release and the videos of all the places that we've visited decline to celebrate the women, men and children that have taken the time to sign the trucks. Nashville's Fire Chief and it's City officials told us they where not interested, so that is how we ended up at the YMCA in Brentwood where we met a wonderful lady by the name of Nancy Brown. Nancy a survivor runs a non-profit program called ABC. They give survivors a free 16 week membership to the "Y", a trainer and offer all kinds of support information to help in recovery. Everything stays local and I think this is one of the many organizations we need to support as we inspire tax based organizations to raise money through our efforts. You can email Nancy at nbrown@ymcamidtn.org to get more information. Pink Heals!

Picking up steam as we spread our message!

2011-09-01T06:26:00.000-07:00

Gardendale AL was a great stop thanks to Rick Smith and Jennifer from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama. We had our best interview from Jeh Jeh on Fox 7 in Birmingham, who allowed us to really tell our story. This part of the Country we are making up a few stops as we go thanks to some help from friends on facebook.
James Wessell and gang from Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus really took care of us when we stopped by to say hello. They are located just off highway 231 in Union Grove AL and they are the best and most honest used fire truck dealer in the Country. We have been driving around without air conditioning in Tonya for two years, thinking that we needed a new A/C unit. James and crew got to work and all it needed was to be charged and to have belts put on the Compressor. But all aside from getting a little help, what I look forward to is all the love and support they give you by just spending time with them. I hope our friendship with them will last a lifetime and I recommend that you go by and say hello and get to know these great people if your ever in the area.

New Challenges as we grow in support!

2011-08-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

     I was needing a little inspiration to get me fired up for this years tour and had know idea it would come all the way from Washington DC. Since I had recently retired from the fire department in Glendale AZ, I had all the time in the World to go out on tour.
    You would probably think that was a good thing but my personality needs some conflict to get the juices flowing. I would always have to arrange my days off, either from vacation days of shift trades. My Fire Chief had given me a major insubordination and written me up for my efforts, so of course the Department didn't support me!
    We have toured about 70,000 miles and visited about 200 communities in the last four years to bring a program everywhere we visit to help these communities get out and support their own people. We just put our women first like we all should in their battle against cancer. People helping people, creating a brand based on Love and Selflessness. We started with the fire service and now have included every tax based group.
    The Firefighters across the Country have adopted our "Cares Enough to Wear Pink" program due to our work and started to raise money and keep all the proceeds for the very people they serve on a daily bases in their own community. Now that we've all united for the same goal, their National leaders are asking them to give the money to one National Organization.
    We are loosing jobs, we can't keep supporting large Corporate Charities with our Labor of Love. Money is being raised and leaving our communities with a large portion of it going to salaries outside our zip codes. I am not saying that these groups don't provide a great benefit to us, but let Corporate donors keep the Corporate Charities alive with large donations and let the people create a brand to help the people. What if Cities collectively did walks and runs, fundraisers year round that helped the very people in their communities with the burden due to cancer, focusing on our women (the glue to our communities.) What if all the local business's agreed to keep all their fundraising dollars local, we then in turn would spend our hard earned dollars purchasing their goods and services. We would rebuild our communities based on Love, we would create more jobs and relieve some of the stress due to unforeseen expenses due to cancer and other health related issues.

We are the stone cutters building the Pyramids and there are too many pharaohs (Rulers, Dictators) looking down on us stealing our labor of Love. Our Brand is bringing them down to help us move a few stones, reminding them that without us, there's no need for them. Pink Heals!

Does our movement support men and children with cancer?

2011-03-31T10:59:00.000-07:00

Mike Montanez with Chance a cancer survivor

Some of my closest friends where there to support the Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs as she signed her own truck, we dedicated this truck in her honor as a survivor. We need to get the Glendale Fire Department and the City as a whole to support the movement. While we have the support from the International Association of Firefighters and thousands of Cities across the Country and around the Globe, Glendale AZ and specifically the Fire Department have yet to adopt the program, please send a message asking them to support their women with this movement........Senator Lisa Baker from Pennsyvania supports our "Cares Enough to Wear Pink" movement.

All of us have to realize that our mothers love us unconditionally, that our women are the most selfless people on Earth. If we acknowledge this and always put her first we will feel the love and support from her in our own struggles with life and of course with our battle against cancer! Yes....Our program helps men as well as children, we just find the woman closest to a person and go through her for our calling of support, a grandmother, Mom, Wife, Sister, Aunt etc.....
Pink Heals!

How can you get your community to adopt our Cares Enough to Wear Pink..Pink Heals message?

2011-03-31T10:22:00.000-07:00

The City of Fishers IN showing their support for the women of their community and one of their own Leslie Hulse.

Grapevine TX

Please email lisa@pinkfiretrucks.org and request information about the program. Once given the information all you have to do is take it down to your community leaders and request that they get on board this calling of support! We have found that this program is a true calling of leadership and once your community is given the right information they have to adopt this movement! This is not about money but has everything to do with LOVE, this is not about one specific disease or charity but about SELFLESSNESS. Each community that embraces this movement shows their own women that we stand as a unified front in her battle for life against Cancer. We share our brand and our movement for free, so if there is a fundraiser, 100% of the money stays local to help our women with her battle against all cancer.

Why is our movement working? Why do you need this in your community?

2011-03-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

As a non-profit we focus on women as a whole by wearing her color, we do not focus on a specific disease like breast cancer or any other specific type of cancer. We show our love and compassion by wearing the color pink, creating a brand that aligns all of us with our women and sharing this brand for free around the Globe! We just ask that any money raised by our calling of support stay locally to help her and her family battle all types of cancer!

Director of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano supports our program, she was one of the first to sign our pink fire trucks!

We travel the Country collecting signatures and stories from women and her family that have battled cancer, they are who we honor, they are who we fight for!
A simple hug and a commitment to put her first by simply wearing her color can have a healing affect.
Pink Heals!

Each community and their local, State and Federal Government organizations have leaders, they are put there by the people and have to acknowledge that our women should come first in their battle for life! If we ask a Mayor, Governor, Senator or any other leader in a community to support breast cancer, they can reply that they support Diabetes. If we approach one of them and ask them to support our program, which supports all women based on Love and Respect, they have to get on board. Especially when the rally by the people and the money raised to help them, stays in their community!

Supporting our "Cares Enough to Wear Pink" and Pink Heals Tour movement!

2011-03-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

We are creating a movement that brings all of us together as a unified front to wage war against cancer on behalf of our women and her family. Each community that adopts our program acknowledges that our women are the most important people in our lives, that they put her first in her battle against cancer. We must make sure that all the money raised from their efforts by adopting this program stays in that community!

Pink Heals!

We only travel as far as our shirt sales allow us, Please buy a shirt!

2010-06-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

Our shirt sales from our web-site generates most of the money needed to get the trucks from one location to the next, this gives us the ability to bring the trucks to your City, so that you can use the Love from them to share it with your community for free. What ever fundraising money you garner from our movement you get to keep for your own non-profits or families that are battling cancer. If you feel that you want to make us a donation we would appreciate it more than you know, but please understand that is not why we are doing this. The shirt sales also give us the ability to go where ever we want, even if that means making a 200 mile detour to see one lady battling cancer for a surprise visit. It gives us the ability to make small videos like the one we made for Molly in Long meadow MA.
Pink Heals Apparel will be our clothing line for the future, our non-profit controls this clothing line and the money from the sale of these clothes will always be used for our non-profit and directed to other non-profits that help women battling cancer. We hope someday these clothes and other accessories will provide us enough income that we can also make monetary donations to non-profits and to families in need of some financial support.

Remember always associate our Pink Heals logo with the fire and police, as we grow there will be people out there trying to copy the many different ideas, styles and logos we create. Pink Heals!

Fire departments and states that have adopted our movement!

2010-06-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

We would like to thank these States and it's fire fighters and community leaders;

Texas....Florida....Missouri....Oklahoma....Rhode Island....South Carolina....

They have adopted our program to wear pink to support all their women and help them with their battle against all cancer.

States that are currently in process to adopt:

Alabama, Washington, New Hampshire, North Carolina and more to come. We are also hoping that at this years IAFF Convention they adopt this movement Nationally. We are also going to ask the International Association of Fire Chiefs to adopt it as well.

Why this program is perfect for our teacher's and teacher Unions!

2010-06-22T09:17:00.001-07:00

Everybody in this Country realizes that we need a better education system, we realize that we need to pay our teachers better salaries. We recognize that most of us had a special person in our lives that helped shape us into the people that we are by a teacher or a coach.

This program is perfect for our Teachers, Why? They stand in front of our future leaders, our children and guide them forward trying to make them better people. By adopting our program they stand in front of the class wearing pink in honor of their mother, sister, grandmother or any other special women in their lives, letting them know they care about the women of their communities and their fight against cancer. Each school could hold a fundraiser by selling their shirts and direct the money to a charity close to home. Your schools Superintendent should allow each schools Principal to decide where the money should go, that way we share the Labor from our efforts with many non-profits or families battling this disease.

Why our Politicians should support this movement!

2010-06-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

The fire Chief of Memphis, The Mayor of Kansas City, Director of Homeland Security and former Governor of AZ, Janet Napolitano and Senator Lisa Baker of Pennsylvania. Just a few of hundreds that support our program.

Our Politicians are elected into office by the vote of the people, they are put there to lead us forward, they are doing their work not for personal gain, but to serve their communities selflessly.

This movement is perfect for our leaders to support, it is one that has to be supported by elected officials. Why? By adopting our program in their community, they show their leadership skills, selflessness and compassion. It doesn't align them with one specific charity, or sponsor. It basically aligns them with all the women of their communities, their fire and police organizations (Our Countries first line of Defense) and every man out their that puts their women first in her battle for life. We give this program to all of them to adopt for free so that anything that might come from a rally of support like a gesture of Love or even some money raised by a fund raiser stays in their community, Perfect!

Please e-mail us and get a press kit, send this out to all your Politicians and tell them you want them to get involved in our movement to celebrate the women of your communities. Pink Heals!

We're just drivers, carrying powerful messages!

2010-06-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

We are just men that are giving up some time from our daily lives, a few women that realize how important this movement is to inspire communities to rally support for those that have been affected by cancer!

The real heroes, celebrities and angels are the thousands of names that have been written on the pink fire trucks. We carry their pain and suffering due to cancer, we share their tears of sorrow and joy, either from a loss or a kick ass victory over this disease. This is not just about women, there are men on this truck who've suffered cancer, their women wanted to share their stories of sacrafice as well, there are little boys and girls, like Molly and Chance who are battling brain cancer. This is not just about survivors, it's about Love and hope and that even though people have lost their lives due to cancer, we allow their memory to live on and their story of sacrafice to be shared. Pink Heals!

Organizations that are perfect for this program!

2010-06-22T08:04:00.001-07:00

Tax based organizations, Politicians, Military, Teachers, Labor Unions, Motorcycle groups, Professional Sports Teams and any other group that might be made up of men's men.

Why?....This is not about her being sick, this is about recognizing how important she is to us and our communities and that as men we should put her above all else in her battle for life! Guardians of the Ribbon Inc. has picked all Cancer to wage war against on her behalf. Women represent more than 50% of the Population and a large percentage of the vote in this Country. Beyond that, men where put here to protect her at all costs, that is why at the very least we are hoping that these organizations will join us in celebrating her for three days by wearing her color, Pink! These days will be the 25th, 26th and 27th of October, although that is Breast cancer awareness Month and we support all charities that raise money for the fight against cancer, this is not just about Breast Cancer! This is the fastest growing movement in the Country because it is selfless in nature and it's not about the money! If money is raised from this movement please direct it to charities and families close to home. Pink Heals!

Look up, open your eyes, see who's wearing your color on these three days and support them accordingly, this is not about a charity, this is not about a business, this is about who you are in our lives and what we are willing to do to show your loved and supported in your fight for life!

Creating an army of support for our women!

2010-06-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

We are wearing pink to honor all women, we march on her behalf against the disease cancer, it made sense to align ourselves with our Countries first line of defense, the Public Safety!

We are at war against Cancer, we believe that cancer is a terrorist, it has invaded our bodies so we fight against this disease for the most important people in our lives, Women!

The symbol you see above will eventually be the universal sign of Love and Hope for all women.

Where ever you see this symbol just know that person or organization puts women first in the battle for life. This is a selfless movement, we are not doing this because it has hit close to home, we are doing this because we are sick of this disease and we are tired of watching people suffer.

Giving Cities the abillity to promote awareness to their women

2009-11-09T18:28:00.000-08:00

Our program gives our City, State and Federal organizations the ability to show they care about their women by wearing her color, PINK! It doesn't align them with a specific charity or a specific disease but lets all women know that they CARE about their fight against cancer and other health related issues. With our Country being divided in so many different ways and our economy being what it is, this brings us together for the most important people in our community and in our own personal lives.

We do not promote the color pink as just representation in the fight against breast cancer but we wear the color pink for the same reasons we put our baby girls in a pink outfit and into a pink crib, she is precious, she is perfect and it is the universal color for our women. Women and Children first in their battle for life, organizations like the Fire and Police realize this and we wear Pink with honor, we wear it collectively, because we CARE!!!!

Why has Texas gone Pink?

2009-11-09T18:20:00.000-08:00

Texas was the first State to adopt our program and they are making a difference for so many women who are battling cancer and giving all women a sense of hope! We are so grateful for the leadership by their Fire Departments and their Community leaders for seeing how wearing pink does not mean you have breast cancer but it acknowledges that we wear her color to let her know we care and love her and appreciate who she is in our community. Pink Heals!!!

Getting into Houston

2009-10-19T08:07:00.001-07:00

We arrived in Houston with a Motorcycle escort and had some fun with some survivors letting them get on the fire trucks and doing a few pics. Jeff Mccarroll, Shane Shiflett and our newest driver that we just picked up in Dallas Evan Littlejohn, who's not so little. We could not do this if it wasn't for all these great guys and gals and their selfless dedication to this project. Thank You from Lisa and I for helping get these trucks across the Country.

Tyler TX has set the bar real high!!!!

2009-10-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

Tyler TX was a huge success thanks to Steve Countryman for setting this all up and for helping get Texas as our first State to adopt our program. Their City has come together in a big way because of the loss of a special lady "Tonya" she was a wife of a firefighter there in Tyler, Wes Malcolm. Tyler donated a fire truck in honor of Tonya, we are to go home with her and paint her pink and take her across the Country and tell her story. They had a few thousand people out at the event and the whole City will be in pink next year. Cities and Towns across the Country need to follow their lead and make a difference for their women who are battling cancer, the simple act of wearing a pink shirt collectively to show our love, is a great start!!!!

Memphis was a Great Stop!!!!!!

2009-10-19T07:26:00.000-07:00

Where would we be if it wasn't for Lisa, she has been there for us on the road and at home handling all the paper work and shirt sales. But most importantly she truly LOVES me, I have found a person that I can share my life with that believes in what I'm doing and has a heart as big as mine. This is a picture of her with the Director of the Memphis Fire Department, we don't get to see her all the time because she usually is behind the scenes, please give her a shout out!!!!!

Memphis Fire Department with it's leaders has a great opportunity to make this program a huge success in their community, their women will feel the needed love by the selfless act of wearing pink shirts to show support in their fight against cancer. Thanks Chief John Pillsbury for what you did and T.A for taking such good care of us!!!!

Bartlett Fire Department really stepped up!!!

2009-10-16T09:01:00.001-07:00

Bartlett Fire Department made quite a statement to their community with these pink fire trucks. Each Community does something a little different and Bartlett Fire was the first to tour the trucks throughout their community to the Schools. We have an important message to share and why not to our children. We are asking all schools to adopt our Cares Enough to Wear Pink program and have all teachers in pink what a statement this is for our children to see all of us in pink honoring our women and helping them in their fight against cancer.

The Hindu Temple and the Hindu Religion is based around Love when they saw these trucks I think they realized what they mean and it is just purely "LOVE" money can't buy what we sell and that is love. These trucks with all these stories of sacrifice cannot be bought, either can this magnificent Temple. What a day we had and the people we meet on this tour will never be forgotten.

The Chicago area is really getting on board with this program!!!

2009-10-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

Countryside Fire, Vernon Hills, Barlett Fire and many other suburbs of Chicago are going pink and using our program to raise money and create awareness for the fight against Cancer. Since we are the Fire and Police, since we are made up of mostly men, why shouldn't we march first for our women against this terrible disease. Thanks goes out to all the Departments that recognize this program is free to adopt and that each one of your Cities will see huge difference in the support each of your local charities will get for their fund raising needs. At the very least wearing pink shirts shows our women that we CARE and that we LOVE them. Dubois PA, a smaller community came out and showed their support for the Pink Fire Trucks and all the local Fire companies had their shirts on and even dressed their trucks in pink.

We could not do this program now that we are building an Army of Pink Fire Trucks if it wasn't for all the men and women that have donated weeks of their time away from their families to drive these trucks. Kevin Artz and Kevin Bathke did just that and we are very appreciative of their time, we also look for these two great people to be on the road next year.

Palmer MA, and East Hartford CT, AWESOME!!!

2009-10-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

We made a stop to a women's home that is battling Cancer via a police and fire escort to tell her we love her and to let her sign the truck, we are spreading love and hope one person at a time.

East Hartford their Citizens and their Fire Department should be proud by the outpouring of support they showed these trucks, we will be back on future tours and hopefully they take our program and raise thousands of dollars for their charities in their communities.

Special People in Special places!!!!

2009-10-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

I want to thank Renee and Bill Collins for taking such good care of us and the trucks and planning a few events in their community of Myrtle Beach and surrounding Cities. I also want to thank The Red Knights Motorcycle Clubs throughout the Country, especially the ones from Charleston and Allan Duke for having a heart the size of South Carolina. These clubs have been escorting us and protecting us as we make our way across the U.S.!!! The Charleston Air Force Base is the first U.S. installation to allow an outside event like ours, an awareness program in support of all women. They treated us with great respect and the military support will grow, I am sure other military bases will ask us to make appearances as well. The only way this will grow and make a difference in a huge way, is for all of us that have not experienced cancer directly to march against this disease collectively, why not start by wearing pink in support of all our women and their fight!

Palmer Mass to East Hartford Conneticut

2009-10-02T11:04:00.000-07:00

Emotional day with two stops in two states to meet two courageous women. One visit was by escort to her home to tell her we love her and to let her sign the truck and the other was an escort to a fire station to honor one of their own who is currently battling cancer. East Hartford on short notice put together one great event! So many people to honor these pink fire trucks and to show their love to this beautiful women. What a day we had doing what we started out doing and that is providing love and hope to so many by bringing people together to battle this disease we call "CANCER". People that have not been affected directly by cancer, coming together for those that have, sending a strong message to this disease that we are sick and tired of watching our loved ones suffer. We are asking our community leaders and our Politicians to get out in pink as well, while we hear people talk about how they care, we need to show that we care by wearing her color, PINK! Then march on her behalf against Cancer as a selfless army of support! This selfless showing of support will bring so many people together for our women. Our program has now been adopted by more than 900 Cities across the Country in less then 2 years. I want to thank all the Politicians that came out to the event in East Hartford, your support is a sign that this can work on both sides of the Isle. A program that focuses first on supporting all women and then helping them with their fight against cancer by at the very least wearing pink.

Thank You!!!!!!

Showing we CARE by wearing Pink, Heals!!!!

2009-09-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

I want to remind some of us that we set out to inspire people by driving these pink fire trucks across America to get out and fund raise off of our program and then give the money to an Organization in your community. Fire departments all over the Country have taken this program and have raised thousands of dollars and directed the money out into their communites. We have a non-profit that inspires people to give to other non-profits,,,, sounds like a firefighter had something to do with this program, I cannot take money from our firefighters across the Country, this program is free for us to show our women how important they are to us!!!!!! That is why the whole State of Texas and Missouri (it's firefighters) jumped all over this program. Our President asked us to get out and do more for our communites and it's charities that help people in need, these pink fire trucks are doing just that! Our Fire Departments that can see the future and that lead by example are taking this program and making a difference for the most important people in our lives ( Our Women) Thanks for your continued support!!!!!Read More

Great Leaders, Special People and friends!!!!

2009-09-27T07:36:00.000-07:00

I am a little different to say the least, but I do know how to build a support group of success!!!! When I come up with an idea I always go to people that I admire and respect to get their opinions or advice about the project. When I came up with the idea about driving the Pink Fire Trucks across the Country and had formulated the plan with Lisa, we set out to have meetings with the people in my life that I see as true leaders. Elaine Scruggs the Mayor of Glendale AZ is not only one of these people but a dear friend. I believe and I've met and visited with Lot's of Mayor's, she is one of the best we have in the Country.

Her response to us, was to follow your dream, to not let the few who don't understand what we are doing get in the way of a selfless support effort!!!! We are so successful all across the Country because of people like Elaine Scruggs the Mayor of Glendale. Thank You! Believing in me meant so much.

Wentzville fire department hit a homerun on this event

2009-09-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

Can't wait till next year, so many women will benefit by this showing of support by their fire department. Wentzville, their fire department and Dave Marlo and so many of it's firefighters really showed how much they care about their women. Please ladies never let another firefighter loose his or her job due to a decline in your budgets in each of these Cities. We will work for you even when we are not being paid, we will honor you by wearing pink and support you in your fight against cancer. Thanks!

Our program has really picked up steam, thanks to all of you that support the pink fire trucks

2009-09-22T19:54:00.000-07:00

Topeka, Kansas City, and Wentzville where all a hit as we made our way into their cities. We just heard today that Wentzville raised almost $28,000 on their first run with promoting this program. I guess we will have to build a pink fire station in Wentzville someday, it would make a perfect place for our station in the midwest. If you want to be involved in this event next year please contact the Wentzville Fire Department or any Fire department in all of the Cities we travel to.

Thanks to North Metro Fire and Thornton Fire and Arvada Fire

2009-09-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

Busy day visiting Arvada Fire, North Metro Fire, Thornton Fire and North Washington Fire District. We had great support all around the Denver area and met some new friends for next years tour. Thanks goes out to Wendy Forbes for setting all our stops up and getting all the support around the Denver area. The guys and gals from North Washington Fire washed the trucks and worked on our air leak that we have on "Karen", you set yourselves apart.

Vegas was more than we expected!

2009-09-15T21:21:00.000-07:00

Well, I had a hard time getting a police escort in my own hometown but when I left and went to Las Vegas they shut down the Las Vegas Strip for a tour in Pink!!!! I heard that they had to go all the way to Washington DC to get permission to have our escort down the strip, what a total support effort for their women. Vegas Rocks!!!! Thanks to Cedric Williams for giving us a 45 mile police and fire escort into the event this year. We have decided to make Las Vegas our Homecoming event next year, hopefully we can get a strong support group from the Phoenix area to come and celebrate with us!!!

Our Kick-off was a total success!!!

2009-09-15T20:49:00.001-07:00

We really appreciate the local community for coming out to the kick-off the other night, thanks goes out to ABC Nissan, Showcase Honda, and Camelback Toyota. I want to thank Elaine Scruggs for coming out as well, it was nice to show her the truck that we named after her, she also signed the truck and said some nice words of encouragement. It was good to see some friends that I work with at the Glendale Fire Department, it means a lot to me that some of the people that really know me support what I'm doing. Thanks!!!!

"Elaine" our third and final truck this year!

2009-09-09T23:28:00.000-07:00

Elaine is finally done being painted and now we have to get her to the graphics shop. A few more days until we leave and we are still trying to get the trucks in order. We have decided to leave "Heather" our ladder truck back from this years tour, she is real slow, we will use her here while we are gone to go to events here at home. Thanks to all the people that have helped us this year to make this tour happen, we truly believe this is making a difference, fire and police along with our community leaders are getting in pink to honor all our women and then recognizing that we need to help in the fight against Cancer! Pink Heals

Thanks goes out to the gang from Tempe Code Enforcement, they are the ones that helped us get the trucks Registered and Plated for this years tour. They also Care Enough to Wear Pink to honor all women! Thanks Steve Lopez and Gang for your support!!!

More Convention Pictures

2009-09-01T23:58:00.000-07:00

Kirk Van Kleeve the Architect that has helped design our future pink fire station that we will call home to our National Non-Profit headquarters. It will also be a place of Love and Hope, a place that we can honor all women and their families that have been through cancer. A place that we can hold fund raisers, lectures, seminars and even community tours. Every square inch of this magnificent structure will have names of people that have gone through the battle against cancer. Kirk is pictured next to the rendering of the fire station, it will be something to see when complete, thanks Kirk. Pink will Heal!

We had a great time at the Texas Fire Museum in Dallas

2009-09-01T23:50:00.000-07:00

What a great bunch of people, they looked over our truck so that we would be safe for the journey home and they also kept us entertained and fed us some Bratz and Beer while we where there. Lisa and I made some great friends and we even think they are going to get a fire truck to paint pink, we will make them our Dallas Affilate of the Guardians of the Ribbon. By the way we even got them to put on the turnouts and do our famous CANCAN dance, look for it on youtube.

Fire Chiefs Convention in Dallas a total Hit!!!!

2009-09-01T23:41:00.000-07:00

We drove 1000 miles in our pink fire truck that we call "Karen" to the Fire Chiefs convention in Dallas where we had her on display. We where a total hit, we where invited right on the spot for next years convention in Chicago. We had so many Fire Chiefs coming up and saying they want to get involved with the Pink Heals Program. We here that our idea to have pink fire engines in each department is starting to take on a life of it's own. We believe that all Cities that have a reserve truck should paint one pink in honor of our women. It makes sense, since most of our Fire and Police departments are made up of mostly men, what a great way to show our women we CARE!!!!

New Pink Fire Suits from Globe

2009-09-01T23:37:00.000-07:00

We will be looking good this year on tour with the new pink fire suits that Globe made for us! They have been so gracious and supportive of our event, I guess all great companies think alike. We want to say a special thank you to Lisa Wickman for believing in us and for pushing the right buttons to get the suits made.

Support from Honda, Toyota and Nissan

2009-07-14T20:33:00.000-07:00

On the 4th of July we had a small event at ABC Nissan, Camelback Toyota, and Showcase Honda. Like I said earlier they all pitched in to give us a vehicle to raffle of on September 11th right before we leave for the tour. We hope to have a few thousand people at the kick-off and hope to have a few bands for some great fun and entertainment. The party starts at 5pm with the drawing for the car around 7:30 and then off for Vegas. We will be having our same pink ride to Wickenburg and then we are off for Vegas. Hope to see you there!

Karen, Heather and Elaine

2009-07-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

We have decided to name the pink fire trucks as we assemble them after women who've had a profound affect on our organization. There is NO vote or lucky winner, it just feels right to name these trucks after these wonderful women. Karen Hechler who is the lady that wrote a $13,000 dollar check to us, so that we could go out and buy our first fire truck. That truck made it across the country, touched thousands of lives, inspired thousands of people to go out and help women and organizations that help women in their fight against cancer. Karen is currently battling lung cancer and came by to say hi at the fire station the other day. Heather Zatar a fire fighter in Vernon Arizona area is one of our biggest supporters, she has donated money to our non-profit every month for over a year. Heather has been directly affected by cancer any many ways and has committed herself to helping our non-profit. Elaine Scruggs is the Mayor of Glendale Arizona and recently was diagnosed with breast cancer. When I first came up with the idea to inspire people across the Country to honor our women by wearing pink, she was one of the first people of leadership to give me the thing I need most, a big thumbs up and a pat on the back. Knowing me I would have done the tour anyway but for her to see how this could help so many shows her true leadership ability. So "Karen", "Heather" and "Elaine" will go out on tour this year and when we come to your City, please sign your name to them if you've been affected by cancer. A picture of all three, Elaine is the only one not painted pink yet.

Getting a Car to raffle

2009-06-29T22:23:00.000-07:00

Camelback Toyota, ABC Nissan and Showcase Honda have come together to donate a car for raffle to help off set the costs of this years tour. We will be selling $10 raffle tickets so that somebody will have the ability to win either a Honda Fit, Nissan Sentra or a Toyota Yaris. These dealerships will also be supporting the Cares Enough to Wear Pink program because they too also believe Pink Heals. They believe that supporting all women first and their fight against cancer will ultimately help all organizations that help our women with this disease. This drawing will be held on September 11 from Camelback Toyota at 7pm right before we start this years tour. Please e-mail us if you would like to buy a ticket or go to any of these three dealerships.

"Pink Heals" Visiting many different charity events

2009-06-29T22:13:00.000-07:00

Thank You! RC Towing you are one of the many reasons we will have three pink fire trucks on tour this year. Ray the owner of RC Towing, Sonny and Paul you have been a true blessing to so many women across the Country that will experience these pink fire trucks.

For three months we have been very busy getting our trucks ready to make our journey across the Country for our second tour. We have been visiting individuals and charity events to help inspire more fund raising dollars and awareness in the fight against all cancer for our women. Thank you for all your support, we will continue our work for years to come and we welcome any partnership that will create a World in Pink so that all our women recognize our true support and love for them as a whole.

Oro Valley Country Club

2009-04-07T21:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks goes out to Gayle McMullen and the North Tucson fire fighters for having the pink fire truck come out to the fundraiser "Swinging for a Cure" benefiting the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Southern Arizona Affiliate. We have traveled so many miles in the last year but are not tired of meeting the type of people that really care about others. (On a personal note due to lack of flexibility in my back, my golf game really stinks, I think it must have something to do with being 46. Every rabbit and every little bird on that course had to duck for cover once I let one fly off my club. I am the only guy in this World that can tee a ball off and hit it between my legs and through the Golf cart waiting to go next. If one golfs with me, you must stay back ten feet directly behind me.) Our calendar is full for the next year and taking reservation dates for our next tour in 2010, we can't wait to add the additional pink fire trucks. I want to thank Dan Klement a Captain and Union President for the North Tucson Fire Fighters for taking care of us for the two days we were in Tucson, we look forward to a return trip next year.

DC Ranch Golf Tournament for Komen

2009-04-01T22:59:00.000-07:00

triciabphoto.com tricia b photography took the pictures

We are starting to visit so many fundraisers and meeting many wonderful people. We can't believe how many people are putting in so many hours raising money and creating awareness in the fight against cancer. I can't help but think there is a cure out there somewhere, we just need all of us to come to the same conclusion and that is we are sick of suffering from this disease. We will make a difference with our pink fire trucks, we'll let everybody know that the time is now for a cure for cancer, we will find a cure even if it means breaking the Health Care system and starting over.

Luke Days Air Show

2009-04-01T22:47:00.000-07:00

Chief Ron Martin and the rest of the gang from Luke Air Force base fire department asked us to bring out our pink fire truck to the air show. We were amazed at the lines of people wanting to get onto the truck and all the people that wanted to buy one of our great shirts. There were so many kids climbing on the truck, Lisa and I got a little nervous. I can't wait to bring our three fire trucks next year to the air show, besides the planes, the pink fire trucks will be the main attraction.

Villa De Paz Golf Tournament

2009-04-01T22:43:00.000-07:00

We had a great time showing off our pink fire truck to the folks at the Villa De Paz Country Club! While there we sold shirts and made new friends and supporters of the Pink Heals Tour. Also got a lot of feedback from retired men who would like to drive a pink fire truck on our next tour.

Health Fair with Pink Fire Truck

2009-03-16T22:28:00.000-07:00

Pictures provided by Bette and ED Sharpe

We had a great time with my good friends from Cas Chiropractic at their recent Health Fair. We teamed up with local business's in their office complex to offer the community some of their services. We plan on doing more of these health fairs in the future, please come out and support these business's who care enough to wear pink. Thanks Dr. Mike Castrachini for having our Pink Fire Truck at your health fair.

KB Homes to visit Cammie Holiday

2009-03-16T22:11:00.000-07:00

We where asked to come to KB Homes to surprise one of their employees who just got back from battling cancer and kicking it's butt. Cammie was totally surprised to see us out in the parking lot, thanks to her fellow co-worker David OShea.

Parada Del Sol event in Scottsdale

2009-02-27T22:19:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time in Scottsdale at the Parada Del Sol event, it is great that organizations like ours and the Tough Enough to Wear Pink organization can come together to help women all over the country. They asked us who we thought they could give some of the money raised from the rodeo and we thought the Wellness Community Arizona was a good choice at this time. Like we have said, we support all organizations that support women who are going through cancer.

You can visit the Wellness Community web-site at http://www.thewellnesscommunity.org/

Singleton Mom's WOW!!!!!! What an Organization

2009-02-21T17:42:00.000-08:00

We were invited to the 5k walk at Freestone park by Singleton Mom's. We couldn't have been more impressed by the overall love and support by everybody participating in the event. They are a first class organization and anyone associated with them are in very caring and good hands. We hope to be involved with them on future events that help families that have been affected by cancer.

We have been traveling the Country and participating in events locally for 16 Months now and we have been involved with numerous organizations. Realizing that we are a young non-profit, we also feel like we can see organizations for who they are. These organizations are our favorites, they've been selfless, caring and very professional, Banner of Hope, The Wellness Center, Bosom Buddies, American Cancer Society and Singleton Mom's. Like we stated, we are new and young, we have not yet met everyone that is out there working their tails off helping people affected by cancer, so I am sure our list will change as we grow.

Bosom Buddies (Just like it sounds)

2009-02-19T05:48:00.000-08:00

This was one of our best small events yet, the people where so nice and the support for the fight was tremendous. These ladies played some serious softball and they raised lot's of money for the Bosom Buddies over the weekend. Lisa and I are sure glad they invited us to be a part of the fun and we look forward to doing it every year.

Gold Rush Day's in Wickenburg

2009-02-19T05:40:00.000-08:00

We had a great time in Wickenburg at the Gold Rush Day's. I want to thank Leslie MCCardle and Joan McDermott for inviting us to participate in the parade. We met all the wonderful ladies in the Breast Cancer Support Group. We are starting to fill up all our weekends for the year and we are creating quite a following for the pink fire engines and our crew.

Visiting ASU

2009-02-19T05:25:00.000-08:00

We visited an ASU women's basketball game, made some new friends and shared a few stories of our journey and the people we are trying to help. The spirit line came out to take a few pictures, We told them about our journey across the Country, we explained to them the importance of having so many signatures of survivors on the truck. I shared with them that our youngest survivor is just thirteen and about 1/6 of the survivors on the truck are under the age of 30 and that we have a 48 year survivor who is 84. I also told them that all our trucks or vehicles will be pink because we will be supporting all women in this Country who battle cancer, we will will rally people from all over to care enough to wear pink on the 25th, 26th and 27th of October to show all our women we care, that as a collective group we will march on their behalf, to say enough is enough.

Pink Heals Tour formerly Pink Ribbon Tour

2009-01-28T19:54:00.000-08:00

We experienced an amazing transformation on our last tour across the Country, we began supporting all women and their fight against cancer. It left room for all our leaders in all our communities to decide who they wanted to give their fundraising dollars too, it also showed the women of their communities that they cared by wearing the pink shirts. All charities across the country who support women benefited by our efforts. We have a truck that has gone across the country to support the fight against breast cancer and we now have a ladder truck that will be pink and it will support all women as a whole and their fight against cancer. We will call our next tour the Pink Heals Tour, if we all are in pink as a collective group, pink will heal a women's soul. At the very least, these three days that we call the Cares Enough to Wear Pink days, will be days all of us honor women by wearing pink shirts.

This is a picture of the ladder truck, it is being painted at RC Towing in Casa Grande. Breakdown is the custom painter that has taken on the task of making this a pink ladder truck. It will be an amazing show of support for the ladies when it is done and yes they will be able to sign the ladder truck when it is done.

Making events is our top priority

2008-11-19T22:26:00.000-08:00

Two sisters, one celebrating a birthday and using the party to raise money for a breast cancer organization that is building a medical center, the inspiration on behalf of her mother who is a survivor. We are so lucky to have been invited to be a part of this event and we look forward to having them as friends for a long time.

Bethany Learning Center asked us to come by and show off the truck to all the preschoolers and teachers for a few hours.

We also spent the day at the three day event on Sunday to cheer on the walkers, it was good to see so many walkers that have already signed our truck. We also saw ladies wearing our pink heals shirts and even found time to stop and let a few hundred walkers sign the truck.

Please understand that we will visit any group that is supporting a women who is going through cancer and we are FREE. We believe in Karma and we believe that this fight is way to big to close our doors to other organizations, just to save a few dollars. Cancer is the biggest bully of them all and we need to come together to fight it, that means more of us who haven't been affected, need to step up and lead the way. Men speaking on behalf of our women, wearing their color. (pink) Leaders who are men standing in the front showing that they care just by wearing pink, eventually marching on their behalf because it is in our nature as men to take care of our women. When this happens on a National scale people will take notice and you will see things get accomplished, "I can feel it"

Pink Heals Fire Station 1

2008-11-16T22:01:00.000-08:00

Kirk Van Cleave AIA, NCARB
rrmdesigngroup
publicsafetystudio
232 Avenida Fabricante Suite 112
San Clemente, CA 92672
P: (949) 361-7950 F: (949) 361-7955
http://www.rrmdesign.com/

These architects are the ones who are working with us to build the first pink fire station to honor our women who battle cancer. Our goal and it is a big one, will be to build five of these across the Country. We will be selling bricks, which will have a womens name on it, who has either won or lost her battle to cancer. These bricks will be displayed all over the fire station, we see this station being an insperational landmark for our women.

Pink Heals Fire Station 1

An 8,000 square foot fire station that will house pink fire trucks and be the headquarters of the Guardians of the Ribbon Inc. A non-profit group who’s sole purpose is to serve the women of the community who suffer from Cancer. Yearly we will do a National tour, we will drive our pink fire trucks to dozens of cities across the Country raising awareness and money for organizations in each community we visit.

Pink Heals Awareness Program

Our message is real simple; we are asking all people, community leaders, fire and police agencies to “Care Enough to Wear Pink” in honor of our women who battle cancer, in this Country and around the World. The days are going to be the 25th, 26th and 27th of October. Each person or organization will have their own shirts to sell in the Month of October and donate the money to an organization close to home that helps their women.
The Guardians of the Ribbon will raise money from the sale of our Pink Heals clothing line to help generate the money needed to fund our tour on a yearly basis. The extra money will be used to help women who are currently going through their battle with cancer by providing the necessary tools to help them in their time of need. We will deliver gifts of Hope and Love in the pink fire trucks to someone’s home out of Pink Heals Fire Station 1

A Tribute to Our Women

This fire station will provide a retail store and small restaurant to the general public. It will also have a meeting room and some living quarters in case we someday become a 24 hour program that responds just like a real fire station to our women with cancer. The Apparatus bay will be a two door bay that will be two fire trucks deep, this bay will act as a charity hall when the fire trucks get pulled outside. On one side of the bay there will be a small stage for musical events and lectures, we see this space big enough for about two hundred people. We will rent this space out as necessary to increase the ability to raise money for the costs associated with maintaining the fire station. We will be doing tours of the station on a weekly basis and we eventually see this becoming a National landmark to so many women who have experienced Cancer either by having this disease or knowing someone who has.
We will build this station out of bricks and on each brick there will be a women’s name who has either won her battle or lost it due to this disease. We understand that this project will take some time to complete and we think the location at the Victory Lane Park would be a suitable fit for our project due to the fact we will be a destination venue to some and a community outreach to others.

We hope to start construction January 1, 2010 and the completion being March of 2011. I look forward to working with you on this project and I assure you it will be well worth the wait when it is finally completed. Thanks for allowing me to sell you on my dream to make a difference and I look forward to someday having our pink trucks respond out of this pink fire station to a women's home to provide her with Hope and Love.

Dave Graybill

Building a National Support Group for our Women

2008-11-11T09:43:00.000-08:00

Well it has been about three weeks since we have gotten back from our tour and the calls are still coming in to see when the next tour will start. We have departments that we did not even visit who have started their own Cares Enough to Wear Pink program, like Fishers Indiana. Siddens Fire Apparatus outside Austin Texas called and donated another fire truck. Also Company Two Fire Apparatus in South Carolina wants to donate two more trucks as well. We will need to have more drivers next year and I am hoping that different departments will let a few of their personal join our group for the tour. I am even thinking about purchasing a tank and rap cammo pink and have it shoot pink shirts out of the turet, we will pull the tank behind one of the fire trucks. On the side of the tank, it will say something like, "WE ARE AT WAR FOR OUR WOMEN". I am so impressed by the leadership by so many Chiefs and community leaders that saw the color pink as a tool to inspire thousands to support all our women who battle cancer and the ones who have not been affected to remind them to get their yearly checks.

We had an event in downtown Tempe AZ, it was the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event put on by the American Cancer Society. We will also do a golf tournament every year that will benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Affiliate here in phoenix at the TPC

of Scottsdale.

Thanks, Next Year, and support letters

2008-10-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

I want to thank you for supporting the Pink Ribbon Tour and the
“Cares Enough to Wear Pink” Campaign.
The project was a total success with nearly 300 departments and different leaders throughout the Country getting involved to help raise awareness for our women in their fight against cancer, specifically breast cancer. Each one of these departments are starting their own fundraisers and giving it to an organization that helps their women close to home. I commend you for seeing that pink represents a lot more than the fight against breast cancer, it represents probably the single most important thing we have in our lives, our women. I hope that with time, I will have the ability to speak to different departments about how this program was started, where it is headed and how we can help each department raise more money for their women.
The Guardians of the Ribbon grew in time to support all our women in the fight against cancer as a whole. We will spread the “Cares Enough to Wear Pink” Campaign just like before but support all our women in their fight with Cancer. We will ask that all the awareness and fundraising still be geared toward your women of your communities. We believe it is vital to support the women who support our organizations and especially the ones that we serve on a daily bases. I am currently planning our next tour for 2009, we will call it the Pink Heals Tour and try and hit some of the same cities as before. We hope to add a pink fire truck every year and grow this into a huge support group for all.
As all of you know, I am still a fire fighter for the City of Glendale Arizona and getting time off and keeping my job will take a joint effort from my administration and all you folks that support this project. I would love for all of you to please write a letter of support and tell a brief comment on how this truck helped your community and the impact it had on your department. Dgraybill911@yahoo.com

Or mail: 1939 E. Palo Verde Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85016
Thanks again for your leadership and support and I look forward to seeing some of you in 2009.
Sincerely, Dave Graybill

Looking back

2008-10-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

From hearing about a Fire Department that was wearing pink shirts to support their women who battle cancer, to driving a pink fire truck pulling a $300,000 statue of a ribbon around the Country. All this done in less than a year on a whopping budget of $3,800, NO marketing company, NO sponsors, No PR firm, just the passion to make a difference in a huge way, for so many and for such a small cost. The women of this Country vote yearly on the most respected and admired professions and most of the time Firefighters are at the top of the list. Knowing that and knowing the type of leadership that most Chiefs possess, it was a NO BRAINER when it came to asking our Public Safety to GO PINK in honor of our women. The greatest adjustment to our message was, "We as men in this Country honor our women and at the very least will wear pink in support of their fight against Cancer, all Cancer". I have not had one MAN in a sitting position of leadership say NO, to this calling of support. The great thing about it is, it is shirts and not ribbons or bracelets, it is a uniform commitment to our women by us men that will inspire our women, it will let them know we care, it will let them know we love them and it shows them that we will always be there in their fight against this disease.

The support has been unbelievable, with Police and Fire Departments all over the Country getting involved with this program, Military leaders and even Politicians on both sides of the Aisle are starting to support the program as well. Departments all over the Country are e-mailing us and telling us how great it has been wearing their shirts and how much money they have raised for an organization of their choosing that helps women in their fight against cancer. We are even getting Fire Departments, to take reserve trucks and paint them pink for their own fundraisers. Can you imagine a hundred or more pink fire trucks marching across the Country driven by us MEN, what a site!!! and what a statement that would be for our women. We support all organizations that help our women and we will bring our pink fire trucks to as many events that help our women as possible for FREE, all we ask is that our expenses for driving the truck be helped and that we have the ability to sell our own shirts and apparel when we get there.

I am a firefighter from Glendale Arizona, I wear a blue shirt 365 days a year, I think at the very least we can wear pink shirts to support all our women in their fight against cancer for at least three days. Women, by the way,do represent 50% of the vote and 50% of the population and it's in our nature as men to support our women. I am so lucky that our Chiefs and leaders of this Country did not see the color pink as just support for the fight against breast Cancer, but they saw PINK as support for all our women by us MEN.

Now that I am home we will begin to plan the next tour across the Country, we will call it the "Guardians of the Ribbon on the Pink Heals Tour". If the World was in pink especially by us men, a women who is battling this disease would wake up one morning and know that she is loved and not alone, a family would know that everywhere they turn there is help on the way, "Pink will Heal".

I have a great story to tell, I have met thousands of women and a few men that have been affected by Breast Cancer and Cancer in general. 1/5 of the women on the truck are younger than 30, I have met a lady who drove 90 minutes to put her daughters name on the truck who had a double mastectomy, she just turned 13. The comments by Chiefs and Politicians when they saw the pink fire truck with the thousands of signatures, their stories of hardship going through their own personal struggle and their thoughts on this project. I will write a book about this great event and the support that I have gotten from my own fire department, the support that I have gotten from so many other organizations to help this pink fire truck touch so many lives across the Country. We are blessed to be healthy and we need to start standing up for those that are battling Cancer, I think it will speed up the healing process for so many and maybe inspire someone to find a Cure, once and for all.

These are just a few fire departments that have sent us information on their own fundraising and awareness campaigns for their women.

Just wanted to share our efforts with you. We are wearing special uniform shirtsthis month, and selling them. The profits are going to the American CancerSociety.http://www.iaff2879.org/Capt. Ryan Christen

http://www.amnews.com/public_html/?module=displaystory&story_id=44914&format=html

Sycuan Fire Department outside San Diego

2008-10-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

Sycuan Fire Department and the Sycuan Casino Resort welcomed the Pink Ribbon Tour to Southern California and what a welcome they gave us. Everybody had pink on and there was not a dry eye in the area as we pulled into the front entrance of the Casino. What a great bunch of fire fighters make up that fire department and thanks to Warren, who I met in Emmitsburgh at the National Fire Academy, for inviting us and planning the event at the Casino.

We will have more pictures of this stop when Wally sends them to me from Las Cruces.

Coming Home Celebration, Scottsdale Waterfront

2008-10-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

We will be holding a Celebration for the Pink Fire Truck with it's 20,000 signatures and supporting the organizations that help our women who struggle with cancer. Please come out and be apart of our first Annual event.

The Bridge with Pink Lights

7135 E. Camelback Rd

October 26th (Sunday 4-7pm)

Bonnie Hunt Show and meeting Olivia Newton John in one day

2008-10-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

The show was great, I wish we had more time to explain our mission to all the folks that watch her show, but it was great to meet her and Olivia Newton John. Olivia Newton John jumped right into the fire truck and drove it down the lot like she was an Engineer for the Glendale Fire Department. The biggest concern for all us men in pink was going down the pole on National TV, blowing out a knee and then needing to call 911 on her show would have been quite the site. Where we come from, we do not slide down poles and two of our crew are not firefighters, so we were a little nervous. We have been getting so many e-mails of support from so many women across the Country, I have asked as many of them as I can to please send letters of support to the Ellen, and Oprah shows, so we can get that pink truck some more support. We plan on doing a tour Across the Country every year and with each year we will add a pink fire truck. We will do this until our mission is complete and that is to have all our men and whoever wants to participate in the "Cares Enough to Wear Pink Days" in their pink shirts. I can't say it enough, it is about the men in this Country supporting our women in their fight against cancer. Can you just imagine a hundred pink fire trucks making a tour to the department of Health in Washington DC and driven by us men in pink and demanding a cure for our women, What a site!!!! You can take our money and you can even take our health, but you will never take our inherent want as men to take care of our women.

I can't believe we finally made it to Los Angeles

2008-10-20T18:10:00.000-07:00

We will be taping on the Bonnie Hunt Show tomorrow and it will be on Wednesday, they have us sliding down a pole and then hitting a gong, hope we don't blow out a knee. Olivia Newton John will also be signing the truck and going for a ride on the pink fire truck. Wednesday we will be in front of City Hall in Los Angeles to do a static display with the fire department and selling some shirts and letting the ladies sign the truck. I can't believe it is almost over, we are very tired but it is a good tired.

So many people and organizations were involved in this event

2008-10-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

Susan G. Komen, Nevada Cancer Institute, Hope Coach, North VistaHospital, City of North Las Vegas, FPAN, Nevada Burn Foundation, MaryKay Cosmetics, Walmart, Las Vegas Kettle Corn, Starbucks, Krispy KremeDoughnuts, Nellis AFB, Nevada Division of Forestry, City of North LasVegas Parks Department, City of Las Vegas Fire Department, North LasVegas Relay for Life, American Cancer Society, BEMITT, Nathan Adelson,Rancho High School, Absolute Equipment, Hope Chest, Coyote 104.3

I met the Chiefs from North Las Vegas in August and in a short time they brought all these folks together for this event. I think we are on to something that will help millions of lives across the Country and even the World. I am currently stirring up the Fire and Police in other Countries to join us in support of our women.

North Las Vegas sold almost a thousand shirts to the Public to raise money for an organization in their community that helps women with cancer.

More from North Las Vegas

2008-10-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

They even made us a new set of Pink Turnouts and gave us a Pink SCBA so that our outfits are complete. North Las Vegas Fire Department and the surrounding Cities will be on the radar for many events in the coming year and hopefully we will land some celebrities like Sheryl Crow or Melissa Etheridge to perform at one of our events, to help raise more money for the women of Las Vegas who battle cancer.

The Red Knights motorcycle clubs around the United States have escorted the Pink Fire Truck in every place we have been, they have been just as important to the overall success of this event and we look forward to working with them in the future.

North Las Vegas and surrounding Cities

2008-10-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

Nancy Oconnor, Cedrick Williams and the Chiefs from North Las Vegas have made our stay the best so far. They have given the truck a tune-up, put us up in the Cannery Hotel where they gave us coupons for free food, it even has a movie theatre so we can relax and get some down time. We were given a Proclamation by their Mayor, a Brophy graduate, Michael L. Montandon, we also received acknowledgement by the Governor of Nevada, Jim Gibbons. Senator Harry Reid also gave us a Certificate of Commendation and his office helped us get clearance with the Secret Service and FBI to be at the Joe Biden event in Henderson.

It says a lot that they let us have the truck at that event, it represents so many women in this Country who need support from our leaders and most importantly our MEN. I have tried since I started this event to get support from all the politicians on both sides of the aisle, this event is driven just by the passion for life and the will to do more for others in need. No hidden agendas, No Corporate money, just a small amount of money from a savings account, a women who loves me, my family and some great friends around the Country.

Thanks goes to Wally Monsivaiz the firefighter who had the great idea to have his fire department wear pink shirts for the women of Las Cruces. The Fire Chief of Las Cruces, Adolph Zubia should be honored for being the leader he is, seeing how by wearing pink, would not only support the fight against cancer but also show support for all our women by us MEN. I think that is why so many Fire departments and Police departments and Politicians are in support of this event.

We made a quick stop in Bountiful just outside Salt Lake

2008-10-18T11:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Sean a Bountiful firefighter for getting a hold of us on the Internet, we had a nice stop in the Salt Lake area. We had a breakfast outside one of their stations, media and many breast cancer survivors came to see and sign the truck. Bountiful and surrounding fire departments will get on board the Cares Enough to Wear Pink Days next year.

Aurora Colorado another great city sporting Pink!!

2008-10-15T20:08:00.001-07:00

On short notice the Aurora Fire Department put on a great show of support and now is sporting pink for their women. I met the Fire Chief at the Fire Chiefs convention in Denver in August and they wanted us to show up and show off the truck. They are excited about the program and their Mayor is doing a Proclamation so that their City can honor the Pink Days for their women. They too, will raise money for a cancer organization that supports the women of Aurora CO.

Denver's surrounding cities going PINK!!!!!

2008-10-15T19:55:00.000-07:00

What a City Broomfield is and what a woman Wendy Forbes is for putting on one of the greatest events of the tour. If it hadn't snowed and been very cold, the event would have been an absolute smash. She rallied fourteen different departments to come out to the event and also got them to committ to the Cares Enough to Wear Pink Days. I want to thank these cities for showing their support for the women of their communities.
Adam's County Sheriffs, Berthoud Fire Department, Broomfield Police, Flight for Life, Greater Brighton Fire Protection District, NorthGlenn Police, North Metro Fire Rescue, North Washington Fire Protection District, Louisville Fire Department, Mountain View Fire Protection District, Rocky Mountain Fire Authority, Thornton Fire Department, Westminster Fire Department and Windsor Severance Fire Protection District. All these departments see the real benefit to wearing pink on duty to support their women and they all have planned fundraisers to eventually make donations to a local cancer organization. Thanks Wendy Forbes and we will see you in the future on the next tour.

Mayor of NorthGlenn Kathy Novak and Mayor of Broomfield Patrick Quinn giving us Proclamations for our work and honoring the Cares Enough to Wear Pink Days.

I will have pictures later because the camera we took them with is having a hard time downloading to the computer.

Topeka Kansas Fire Fighters Rock!!!!!

2008-10-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

Topeka greeted us with a round of applause as we turned the corner, a 100 or so of it's firefighters and community leaders made us feel right at home. Thanks goes out to a very special lady Teri Troth and her husband Mike, a fire Captain for Topeka Fire. I met Teri on line and she told me she was just diagnosed a few months ago and said that I would pay her a visit in the truck, she went so far as to create a huge event and get the fire department in their new uniforms to honor the Cares Enough to Wear Pink days. Teri you are an angel and we look forward to a return visit.

Columbia MO an added spot that made a difference

2008-10-11T16:19:00.001-07:00

It didn't take the fire department long after seeing the fire truck and the response the women of their community had, to understand how great a project this is for their community. I am already in the works to get them the art so they can get their shirt made and ready for next year. They are a proactive fire department and I am sure glad that Mark Woolbright suggested I stop in and see them.

On my way to Topeka we made a special stop at Shawnee Mission Fire Department, a suburb of Kansas City, they to took a liking to the event and already are printing up their shirts. Tim Cordin a Phoenix Fire Engineer traveled with us a week and set up our special visit to these great folks.

Chris Torres from Las Cruces, who has been traveling with us the entire time, is a natural in front of the camera, he has been a very important part of this journey.

A special visit, releasing the Balloons at Ann's Bra Shop

2008-10-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at Ann's Bra Shop and celebrated the women at the event and all the women on the truck who are very important to this mission of hope and awareness.

While we were there, we heard about a beautiful women who's battling for her life against breast cancer, we were asked by a friend and the family if we could come by and see her. Ginger, has been battling her second occurrence with cancer for about 6 months, the family thought if we came by with the pink fire truck, dressed in our pink turnouts, it would lift her spirits. As she made her way to the front door, she was shocked at the sight of us standing there, I think she was so weak and tired, that it was hard for her to show any emotion. But when she saw Jasper, she broke out into a smile and wanted to love on him, Jasper has become so important on the tour, it made a huge difference just to have him there. When we got in the truck for the drive back, you could hear a pin drop it was so quiet in the truck, it really hit home as to why we need to do this. I am asking everybody out there that if you are healthy and have not been affected by cancer to please start helping our women in their fight against this disease. As we know men can be affected as well but more importantly we need to rally around our women to march on their behalf so they do not suffer anymore. Please just find a CURE

Wentzville and surrounding towns stepped up BIG!!!!

2008-10-08T08:58:00.000-07:00

Dave Marlo, Chief Randy BornHop and the gang from Wentzville Fire really took care of us. They let us stay in a new station that hasn't been opened yet and they escorted us everyday were ever we went. They planned events and they even had our truck serviced and worked out the deal so it was free of charge. Our Pink Fire Truck needed the bearings packed on the left front wheel, new shocks and a front end alignment, they even through in a new front tire. Peggy and the great women from Ann's Bra Shop worked hand-in-hand with the firefighters so that all these events went smoothly. Our last event at Ann's Bra Shop was our most memorable and inspiring, it was a true event for all the women who attended that battle breast cancer and cancer in general. Each one of us had a pink balloon, 150 in all and let them go in celebration of the Pink Ribbon Tour and all the women who's signatures are on the truck. Thanks go out to Pattonville Fire, Lake Saint Louis Fire and Central County Fire and rescue for supporting this effort. Local 2665 with it's 2200 members really have stepped up for the women in their cities, they should all be proud. There will be more pictures of the Wentzville stop in the next few blogs.

Wally being from Las Cruces has a little cowboy in his blood, Wally and Chris from Las Cruces have been awesome, there selflessness for the tour is unmatched, accept with our other companion Steve and now our puppy Jasper.

Springfield Illinois what a City!!!

2008-10-06T14:17:00.001-07:00

Springfield put on a great event and made us feel right at home, with food, big screen tv with the Bears game and plenty of babysitters for Jasper. They had so many organizations there that support the fight against breast cancer, it was quite amazing. You could tell a lot of planning went into the event in a short amount of time, we look forward to seeing them again.

Flyer for the St. Louis event

2008-10-04T05:04:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine all the fire fighters and police officers and community leaders honoring their women by wearing pink across the Country at the same time. What an unbelievable site it would be to a women who is trying every minute of every day to keep her spirits up! Families who are on the front lines helping a loved one going through this disease, would know that they are not alone and just around the corner at a fire station or a police station, or City Hall, there are people that will do whatever it takes for our women in their fight against cancer.

There is something that will never change in my life or any other man, that is our inherent nature to always want to take care of our women. These departments that are changing their uniforms to show support are true heroes for their communities and we should all be proud that they are in our lives. Words cannot express how much I appreciate their support on this event and how truly selfless they all are.

Schererville Indiana another great city going pink!!!!

2008-10-03T19:41:00.001-07:00

Schererville asked us to pay them a visit, they said that they were ready for us and the pink fire truck, they sure were. Shirts were already being worn and there was even a pink ambulance to greet us at the event in front of City Hall. We talked a little about our program and then there was a celebration for their women and especially the breast cancer survivors. These Cities are all starting to have their shirts done and already being distributed around the towns. Thanks goes out to the town of Schererville for having great vision for their women.

Clay Fire Department outside South Bend

2008-10-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

Clay Fire Department was another department that set the bar way high for the Pink Ribbon Tour and they plan on getting all the departments in Indiana to wear pink work shirts for their women of their communities as well. Who can tell how many women will benefit from all these great departments that will wear pink shirts in support of their women for the fight agianst cancer. This has been an unbelievable experience to meet such great people that have the same belief as us, to make a huge impact in so many lives.

Toledo and on to Countryside fire department a Chicago suburb

2008-10-02T20:13:00.000-07:00

Toledo Fire department allowed us to do a static display of the fire truck from their fire station #25 for four hours and set us up with hotel rooms for the night. They also let us keep the truck at their local shop to keep it safe and even fueled the fire truck up for us before we left. We then made our way through the Chicago traffic to a suburb called Countryside on the Northwest side of the City. When we go to the Westfield Mall they already had all their trucks there with the ladder high in the air with our banner on the end of the stick and all the guys were wearing pink work shirts. It is amazing how much support we are getting with this campaign and they are already talking about how much money they will raise for their women of their community. They see that wearing pink uniform shirts not only show support for the fight agianst cancer but also for their women of their communities, Kudos to them and their vision.

So You Can See The Support For The Pink Fire Truck!!!

2008-10-02T15:18:00.000-07:00

Wentzville and other Cities are putting on quite a show for the Pink Ribbon Tour, we can't wait to celebrate with them on our arrival. The fire and police and community leaders really care about their women who are fighting cancer. Thanks so much from all of the Guardians of the Ribbon.

Lion Apparel put on a great event!!!

2008-09-30T19:07:00.000-07:00

Hayley Fudge from Lion Apparel did a great job putting on an event at their headquarters in Dayton Ohio. We had a proclomation from their Mayor Rhine McLin and from the United States Senate by way of Senator Sherrod Brown. We are starting to be recognized all over the Country for our work toward bringing more awareness for our women and bringing all these great organizations together to create their own fundraising campaigns. Thank You Lion Apparel for caring about the women of your community.

Ashland Ohio, another stop by the pink fire truck

2008-09-28T15:43:00.000-07:00

We met a wonderful women at our last event who was so moved by the truck, we decided to drive the 70 miles to her town and visit her mom who is a survivor of breast cancer. Susan Dambro not only let her mom sign the truck but we also put her in the Captains position and all her kids on the back, to take a ride through town. We also took the truck to her 13 year old daughters soccer game to cheer her on and of course the ladies that were there, who have all fought breast cancer, came over to sign the truck as well. Rita, it was an honor to meet you, you're such an inspiration to all of us, thanks for being a part of our lives.

University Heights Cares Enough To Wear Pink

2008-09-27T19:05:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in the Cleveland area at University Heights station 1 today, thanks to Keith Kanner. Their department had already made their shirts and even had hundreds to sell to give to two local charities of their choice. They plan on wearing their shirts on the 25th, 26th and 27th of October and do a fundraiser throughout October to give to these two charities. How can anyone not honor this event when all we are asking is that at the very least, we care enough to wear pink for our women. I think that is why we have not run into ONE department that has not gotten on board this event. We are men supporting our women in their fight against cancer and it is in our nature to fight for our women.

Katina and Central Valley

2008-09-26T19:33:00.000-07:00

After New York and before New Hampshire we stopped in Central Valley New York to pay a special visit to a friend of Lisa's, Katina Chontos who has been helping us for about 7 months and who has been one of our biggest supporters. She set us up with a place to stay and all our meals where taken care of by the Bright Star Diner. Her friends from the diner made sure we had coats to wear in New Hampshire, so that our Arizona bodies would not get cold. While we were there we had a static display of the truck right on the road in front of the diner, people that drove by all waved and honked their horns, the people of Central Valley sure made us feel welcome.

Katina is on the right and Lisa is on the Left.

Pittsburgh and a visit to some old friends

2008-09-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Chief Francis DeLeonibus and the Pittsburgh fire department, we had a great time visiting their famous Market Square in downtown Pittsburgh. Francis stayed with us for two days to make sure the fire truck was safe and that we had everything that we needed for our stay. I also touched base with an old friend of mine Jim Flaherty the VP of their Local Union #1, he was with us the last time we came through here on our golf carts, Jim also took us out to dinner. On our way out of town we paid a special visit to his daughter Jamie who is a cancer survivor, at her work and snapped some great pictures of her signing the truck. It is an honor to have Jim's daughter Jamie sign the truck, thank you Jamie.

coming home party in Scottsdale!!!!!

2008-09-25T19:50:00.000-07:00

We will be having a coming home party in Scottsdale on the 26th of October from 5-9pm in downtown Scottsdale on the Waterfront right on the pink bridge. We are inviting all the fire departments and police departments to bring a vehicle to support all the women of our communities. I will ask all the Mayor's from each city in the valley to please attend and support the arrival of the pink fire truck. This fire truck has become very important to so many women all over the country and it represents the support by all of us, especially men who recognize that we need to make an effort regardless if it has hit home, that we need to do more to support organizations that help them with the fight against cancer. Please send a message to your community leaders to attend this event. So far the Peoria, Luke Air Force Base and Scottsdale fire departments will honor the Cares Enough to Wear Pink Days, They are true leaders of the valley for our women. I hope other cities see the true benefit to this campaign, this will make a huge impact for our women. Right now we have hundreds of fire and police departments along with community leaders starting their own support groups to help their women.

Lancaster and Harrisburg gave us quite a show

2008-09-25T19:38:00.000-07:00

We had a great reception in Lancaster PA! Thanks to Angel for getting things organized and making the necessary arrangements. Angel and I became friends when I golfed across America five years ago and he did a great job. He made some phone calls to the Capitol of Pennsylvania to set up some great shots with the politicians from Pennsylvania.

Reading, Lancaster and Harrisburg kept us very busy

2008-09-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

We drove nine hours through the night to make it to Reading for a meeting with the Mayor, the fire fighters gave us an escort and even took our truck to their shop to fix a leak in our radiator. We have made so many friends along our journey and we look forward to coming back to these great cities. All these cities are getting involved in wearing pink for their women and will soon start raising money for the cancer organizations in their communities, we are making a huge difference and thanks to all of the folks that are helping the pink truck make its way across the country.

Concord and Pittsfield New Hampshire made us feel like home

2008-09-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

Globe Manufacturing who made the pink turnouts did a wonderful job putting on our events in Concord and Pittsfield while we were there. A Big Thanks goes out to Lisa Wickman and Stephanie McQuade from Globe and a special thanks goes out to all the 350 employees from that great company Globe. We had the American Cancer society come out and support the fire truck along with a local band.

More Pics from East Rutherford

2008-09-21T18:13:00.000-07:00

Tom, you were so very important for this stop in East Rutherford, thanks for getting a hold of your Buddy Tony to help us with some logistics and just being the kind of guy you are, we thank you. It was an honor to go by and see your mom, we know why you are the kind of person you are, she is very special.

Please see this video of us dancing in the streets of New York, it is very funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNvsxJemqsw

East Rutherford what a City!!!!

2008-09-20T17:18:00.000-07:00

So we make it to East Rutherford and they put a police officer to stay with the truck over night to stand guard on the truck, it has become quite valuable with all the signatures on it and the stories of survival that come with them. The next morning we had a parade through their town to visit some important sights and people. While we were on the parade the trailer hitch snapped and the trailer receiver broke as well right in the middle of the road. Within minutes the Police Chief and Fire Department called a city welder and worked on it non stop for four hours so we could get the escort into the Lincoln Tunnel and into New York City. A very special thanks goes out to Carlstadt Police and Fire departments and also the Woodbridge Police department for making this event a success. While they were fixing the trailer we resumed our parade with just the fire truck, East Rutherford and their citizens deserve a big thank you from all of us for their kindness and support. When we started going into the tunnel I read on the sign that the max height for vehicles was 13 feet and I was praying that Johnny from Maricopa Metals made the height shorter than that, of course I didn't even think about the height of the Tunnel when I asked for the escort into the City. Can you imagine the pink fire truck getting stuck in the tunnel. We made it by four inches and got through the tunnel just perfect, I think the good Lord is watching out for us and I am sure there are lots of people all across the country praying for us as well. We stopped right in front of Radio City Music Hall for four hours and what a sight we were. I will have more pictures when we download them from all our cameras and we get some sent to us by others who were there.

From DC to Emmitsburg into Philadelphia

2008-09-20T16:56:00.000-07:00

Washington DC and station 6 were great to us and the Fire Chief along with many of the Assistant Chiefs came out to visit us. They had the media come to the station and get the word out about our project, a special thanks goes out to Terry the captain on duty at the time for making a few calls for us. From there we made our way to the National Fire Academy to pay them a visit on the invite from Battalion Chief Mike Donlan. Mike stayed with us for two days and toured us around the area, he also gave us some great contacts for the Philadelphia area. We decided to have Jasper stay with him and his Fiance at their home and play with their female lab Toby. We also planned a surprise visit to retired National Fire Chief Charlie Dickinson's home to give his wife a gift and let her sign the fire truck. Mike and the rest of the gang at the National Fire Academy will be on our National tour every year due to the response we got from all the students at the Academy and the surrounding towns.

Virginia Beach has set a new BAR!!!!

2008-09-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

April Elmore of Virginia Beach Fire Department went all out for our event and she even had the Mayor come out and YES, the Mayor made a proclamation for our event, making the 15th of October the Cares Enough to Wear Pink day by the Citizens of Virginia Beach and the 25, 26th and 27th be the days the Public Safety wear pink. She reminds me a lot of a Mayor that I know in Glendale Arizona, Elaine Scruggs who is also a visionary, I am sure we will have a proclamation in the near future for the women of Glendale.

When we arrived, there was at least a 100 firefighters in pink waiting for us at the Mall, thanks again goes out to April Elmore and the firefighters of Virginia Beach.

More pictures!!!!

2008-09-14T19:07:00.001-07:00

Here are some more pictures and check out our new Mascot Jasper on the pink motorcycle. Crystal missed us in Charleston and drove four hours to sign the truck for her Aunt, she is a very special person and she must be a little nuts like myself to drive so far, this truck has quite a following.

These are fire Chiefs and fire fighters who wanted to have a little fun in the pink turnouts, we are coming together for our women and we are having fun doing it.

We are starting to get motorcycle escorts wherever we go, thanks again goes out to the Red Nights for our escort.

More pictures!!!!

2008-09-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

Raleigh and Durham are in, for the Cares Enough to Wear Pink Days for their women

2008-09-14T18:53:00.001-07:00

Two cities coming together to rally around this pink truck for the women of their towns, what a site to see, so many trucks and firefighters and EMS personnel in one place. Maria from Durham Fire and Kristy from Raleigh fire put on a great show of support for the Pink Fire Truck. Both cities are going to work on promoting their own awareness programs and fund raising for the Charities of their respected cities on the 25th, 26th and 27th of October. It is great to see so many leaders that are visionaries, so willing to add to the list of charities we in the Public Safety already do, I think this one is well worth our time and it looks like I am not alone. I look forward to coming back to these two cities and I will give them more than three weeks to get it organized, what a job they did on short notice!!

Raleigh and Durham are in for the Cares Enough to Wear Pink Days for their women

2008-09-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

Myrtle Beach was Great!!!!

2008-09-13T20:05:00.002-07:00

Bill and Renee Collins Picked us up about fifty miles outside of Myrtle Beach and escorted us into town. We stopped by a restaurant called the Dead Dog Saloon where they were having a fundraiser for firefighters in the area and it was in honor of (9-11) We sat there for a while and met some great folks and then went to the Imaging center where we were greated by a bunch of screaming ladies, they even sang us a song that made us all laugh. James a firefighter from nearby Midway Fire invited us to his home the following morning to wash the truck and have some coffee. While we were there we decided to visit his daughters middle school to show the truck and talk to the kids, which we love. Renee and Bill thought we were going to stay about four hours but when I got there I told them we would like to stay the night, within a few minutes Renee without any hesitation got on the phone and got us some rooms right on the beach. We didn't get to enjoy the beach but we could hear the ocean as we sat in our rooms. Thanks Bill, Renee and James for making it a great experience.

Please see this video ( survivors singing a song about the pink fire truck)

2008-09-12T04:09:00.000-07:00

Please watch this video on youtube, these ladies are so full of life and I guess when you have gone through what they just beat you can see the true beauty in life. These gals only had a few days to prepare, maybe when can get them to sing this on Oprah or Ellen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6dAZ15_9cc

JoJo was our first visit to someones home with the pink fire truck it was a great experience and one we will never forget. Her family made this a total surprise, they had us meet them around the block, then we all got in and drove over to her house and blasted the horn. What a great experience for all of us, to share this time with this family, we where honored to have JoJo come to the kick-off event in Glendale. Thanks JoJo

Please watch our visit with JOJO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMKWoWZvZL0