HOBOKEN AND BEYOND – It’s going to be hotter than any fire.
At a breast cancer awareness event at the 13th Street Firehouse on Tuesday, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer asked firefighters to take breast cancer awareness a step further by wearing pink tutus this coming Sunday at 9 a.m. while walking along the water. And they’ve obliged.
Zimmer informed the firefighters about an ongoing awareness project called The Tutu Project, started in 2003 by photographer Bob Carey whose wife Linda has been battling the disease. Carey has posed all over the world wearing a tutu for a book entitled “Enter Ballerina.” Proceeds from the book go directly to breast cancer organizations.
Tuesday, the Hoboken Fire Department and Mayor Zimmer showed off their pink tees at 1313 Washington St. This is the first year Hoboken Fire Department is participating in the pink t-shirt awareness.
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) was contacted as part of an outreach to get male organizations involved with breast cancer awareness efforts. A noteworthy example of male organizations displaying pink is the NFL, who can be seen with pink sneakers, pink towels and other pink accessories. The IAFF has been able to get many departments across the country and in Canada on board with wearing the shirts.
Joe Turner and Brian Caro were instrumental in bringing the tees to Hoboken. What started out as just an in-house idea for the department turned into over 700 t-shirts sold to date. All proceeds go to breast cancer research and awareness via the IAFF and cost $10.
For anyone who wants to purchase a pink shirt, email Joe Turner at joeturner67@comcast.net.
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