A drive to paint the town pink

The official colors for USD 257 schools — typically blue and gold — soon will be pink for a day.
An Iola Middle School fundraiser to raise breast cancer awareness and assist local breast cancer patients will be capped Oct. 22 with Spirit of Pink Day.
The interest in Spirit of Pink is no longer bound to the middle school halls, organizer Billie Collins noted.
Several Iola High School students, including its cheerleading squad, have ordered shirts to wear on Spirit of Pink Day.
Collins said others outside USD 257 have decided to participate as well, including Allen County Community College and Labette Community College volleyball teams, the dance team at Emporia State University, a group of youth baseball teams competing at a tournament in October in Texas as well as the entire cheerleading squads at Rossville and McLouth High Schools. Rossville and McLouth will play each other in football that day.
“This thing has just exploded,” said Collins, who started Spirit of Pink Day a few years ago when she was a paraprofessional at the middle school.
Collins is no longer at IMS — she was let go because of budget cuts this year — but that has not deterred her from continuing the fundraiser.
“I just couldn’t let this go,” Collins said. “I am no longer with IMS, but breast cancer hasn’t gone away.”
The shirts will sell for $8, to be worn Oct. 22. Adding $2 to the purchase price puts the buyer’s name on the back of the shirt. Orders must be received by Thursday.
Call or text Collins at (913) 683-5132 or Teresa Cook at (620) 228-1937 to order.
Collins, who has family members in Texas, has started a similar venture there.
As of this week, she’s received orders from 17 different states.
“I am so proud that our message is getting out there,” she said.
A portion of the proceeds from shirt sales goes to Kappa Alpha Chapter of Phi Tau Omega, a local sorority that aids local cancer victims and their families. The rest will go to local breast cancer patients, Collins said.
In addition to the IMS shirt sales, local hair salons are selling pink hair extensions or offering manicure or pedicure services throughout October to note Spirit of Pink Day.
“I’m getting calls from more people every day about Spirit of Pink,” Collins said. “The list goes on and on. I’m getting very excited about how this has taken off.”