It’s official!  Friday, Oct. 13, 2017 has been proclaimed Paint Natchez Pink Day by our Mayor, Board of Aldermen and Board of Supervisors.  In honor and recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Merit Health Natchez is leading this community-wide campaign to Paint Natchez Pink on Friday, Oct. 13, and we invite you to participate.

You have the power to spread hope and awareness in Natchez on this day.  The Chamber is pleased to be working with Merit Health Natchez to offer you and/or your business an opportunity to be a part of helping build community camaraderie while bringing awareness and education to breast cancer, as well as support for those affected.  Whether you are a home owner, restaurateur, business owner, retail or industry employer, check out these ideas to help turn Natchez Pink on Friday, October 13:

• Tie pink ribbons around trees in and around your neighborhoods and businesses.
• Use pink chalk to write messages of hope or honor co-workers battling breast cancer.
• Attend the balloon launch on Friday, at 10 a.m. Oct. 13.
• Use special scripts to remind customers to get their annual mammograms.
• Hang strands of pink lights.
• Insert pink light bulbs in porch lights.
• Decorate your front entrance, your fence or your door with pink balloons.
• Hold a “street” contest for Best Pink Window display.
• Decorate your home or store windows with a pink display.
• Salons could offer specials on pink colors/products on this day.
• Restaurants feature pink drinks or food on this day.
• Anything else to promote Breast Cancer Awareness at your business, home, organization!

If you or your business would like to become a Pink Partner, it is absolutely FREE to participate.  If you become a partner, your business will receive a Pink Partner sign to display, as well as pink ribbons and Paint Natchez Pink T-shirts for your employees to wear to work on Friday, Oct. 13!

The Pink Partner Enrollment Form, as well as more information on this exciting day, can be found at this link  or the chamber’s Facebook page, Natchez Adams County Chamber of Commerce.  Or you can stop by the Chamber for more information or call us at 601-445-4611 with any questions. The deadline to complete this form and be included is Friday, September 29!

The day will be officially proclaimed at 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 13 when Mayor Darryl Grennell reads the proclamation on the courthouse lawn.  Afterwards, we will take a moment to reflect, honor and remember those in our community who are battling breast cancer.  We will conclude with a huge pink balloon launch.

Eric Robinson, CEO of Merit Health Natchez, could not have summed this day up better when he said, “I want our community to see firsthand the commitment and support of not only our hospital, but other local businesses and individuals, for this unique and fun way to create awareness.  I want our citizens to see all of us united in support and honor for those in our community valiantly fighting this disease, as well as those who have conquered their fight.  It will also be a time to remember those who have lost their battle.”

We hope you will participate. In order for us to honor your requests as a pink partner and have enough signs, ribbons and T-shirts available for you to pick up from the Chamber beginning Oct. 10, we must have your Pink Partner Enrollment form in our office by Friday, Sept. 29.
Debbie Hudson is president of the Natchez-Adams Chamber of Commerce.