Poplar Bluff gets pumped for Pink Out 2022

Poplar Bluff will be colored pink beginning Friday when the Mules football team plays the Fox Warriors of Arnold at home.

The football game will be the first Pink Out event of the year and “we’re hoping for a lot continuing through October,” said United Cancer Assistance Network Executive Director Melody Chailland.

Everyone in the community, from students to city employees, gets involved in the annual event by wearing pink to raise funds for UCAN in honor of those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

When it comes to lighting the town, one group of city employees has been involved for many years.

Catherine Dollins, Municipal Utilities customer accounts supervisor, explained they pay $2 each Friday to dress down. The money is deducted from their paychecks and donated to the United Cancer Assistance Network.

“We’ve done it for several years,” Dollins said. “I don’t even know how many because I’ve worked here 30 years.”

Early on, the donation went to March of Dimes and then different causes and “this one came up, because we had some ladies who had cancer. We started giving locally and we just continued to give to UCAN,” Dollins said.

The MU office staff members proudly wear the pink shirts provided by UCAN.

“We donate over $100 a person usually because it’s 52 weeks times two, equaling $104 a year, per person,” Dollins said. “Melody gives us a shirt. Then we’ll be wearing them on the Friday of the football game. We usually take a picture of those who are working that day and we post it to the UCAN website, just to show our support for UCAN.”

Dollins said about 11 of the staff give consistently and others buy shirts for their kids and other family members.

“We’re thankful our bosses have allowed us to do this. It started when Doug Bagby was the utility manager and then Bill Bach continued letting us,” she said.

Chailland is thankful for groups like Municipal Utilities, but she also wants to say “thank you to Poplar Bluff High School Student Council for once again leading the charge on this event.”

Poplar Bluff High School Principal Dr. Valerie Ivy said, “I am extremely proud of our students who are willing to support people in our community through UCAN and Pink Out.

“Our PBHS STUCO students have developed an increased awareness of cancer, and have learned ways to be proactive with their own health while supporting those battling cancer and cancer survivors.”

Watching students lead in this capacity while honoring cancer fighters and survivors exhibits the “True Mule” spirit the district aims to achieve, Ivy said.

Pink Out Poplar Bluff asks residents to don pink T-shirts Friday to show their support for UCAN, a non-profit that provides monetary support for area cancer patients on a case-by-case basis. Pink Out is one of the best-known fundraisers in Southeast Missouri, according to organizers. The fundraiser has evolved into a community-wide effort to raise funds for UCAN to financially assist local cancer patients and to recognize those that have fought cancer, including students, teachers and community members.

“Pink Out has raised over $300,000 with this fundraiser, with proceeds going directly into our community helping residents with cancer-related expenses such as transportation, nutritional supplements, fuel cards, utilities, housing, lodging, wigs, turbans and many other costs,” Chailland said. “We don’t use money for research. We make sure you have funds to get to and from treatments, make sure you have nutritional supplements and make sure your electricity doesn’t get shut off during the fight of your life.”

T-shirts are available at the UCAN office and staff will deliver locally. Call 573-776-1892, for more information.

The shirts are $15 each for small to extra large, and the 2XL, 3- or 4XL are $20.