This October, Dance for the Cure celebrated our 17th annual Ribbons of Hope fundraiser at the Bridgewater Marriott, in Bridgewater, NJ—a place that has welcomed us for over a decade and a half. The centerpiece of the night was the incredible basket raffle, boasting over 200 unique and creatively assembled baskets that draw exclamations of delight and awe from attendees. The event, complemented by a 50/50 raffle, was a lively gathering of nearly 500 supporters—a testament to the community's spirit and engagement.
"As the chairperson of Ribbons of Hope, I am extremely proud of our volunteer team that makes our renowned fundraising event a resounding success!"
"From mailing and marketing to acquiring prizes and donations and building amazing baskets, our team is the best in the business! And the joy on the faces of our almost 500 attendees translates into a record amount of money raised to continue our mission! Cue the pink confetti!" Joanne Liscovitz, co-founder, shared with enthusiasm.
The evening was also marked by the announcement that Dance for the Cure will broaden our reach to include Mercer County, New Jersey, adding to the support already provided in Hunterdon, Middlesex, and Somerset counties. Additionally, we proudly shared that we've crossed the milestone of donating over $1 million to local breast cancer patients in need—a significant achievement for our organization.
A highlight of the evening was the premiere of a video that chronicled our history and evolution. It was a night of recognition as well, with co-founders Kathleen Cirioli and Joanne Liscovitz receiving honors from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and the United States Congress. DFC co-founder, Kathleen Cirioli, responded to these accolades, saying,"The recognition, proclamations, donations, and fundraisers on behalf of DFC during Breast Cancer Awareness Month far exceeded our expectations."
"We are honored and grateful to all who continue to support and help us continue our mission."
Our October outreach efforts included Tie the Town Pink, which expanded to 31 towns, and the Pink Bow Project, which placed over 400 pink bows on local businesses to raise awareness. These initiatives, which are a visual display of DFC's widespread community support, were embellished further by the Hillsborough Police who painted their squad cars pink and ContainerPort, a trucking and logistics company, that proudly displayed the DFC logo on their newly pink-painted chassis.
The generous spirit of numerous groups and organizations, along with more than 400 individual and business donors, propelled our October campaign to raise over $140,000 and counting. This collective generosity is the cornerstone of our ability to make a real difference in the lives of those affected by breast cancer. We thank everyone who helped make our October campaigns a resounding success!
Are you or someone you know struggling due to a breast cancer diagnosis?
We would like to help. Please visit https://www.danceforthecure.org/get-help