Carnations were blooming in Salmon Arm last Saturday as they do every October.
To mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, members of the Shuswap Dragon Boat Society’s Friends Abreast team added tags to 300 carnations to remind women it’s time to book a mammogram.
The tags were added on Oct. 1 and then the carnations were handed out at the Mall at Piccadilly, Uptown Askew’s and the SmartCentres parking lots.
The carnation event has been a long-standing tradition with the Friends Abreast Team and team members expressed their gratitude to the businesses which have supported them.
As always, the event was a meaningful one for them.
Member Liz Burdeniuk said team members heard stories from women who are either in treatment or know someone who has been touched with breast cancer.
“These shared stories help to make the event even more meaningful and reach so many members of our community,” she said.
An added bonus was when a new team member, Glenda Lapine, while handing out carnations, encountered a woman on a scooter whose battery had died. An employee from a mall business was contacted who gave her a boost and sent her on her way.
Friends Abreast Dragon Boat team formed in 2002 and was the first team in the Shuswap. The team is made up of breast cancer survivors and supporters.
Community members are encouraged to book a mammogram by calling 1-800-663-9203 or go to www.friendsabreast.com
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