Lake County Firefighters Don Pink for Awareness and Support (Photo by Tina Russell)

Lake County Fire Rescue personnel don pink for women's cancers By JESSICA SHUMAKER DAILY SUN LADY LAKE ? If you've seen Lake County firefighters out and about this month, chances are you've noticed their new bright apparel. At the beginning of the month, Lake County Fire Rescue personnel rolled out a cancer awareness campaign and fundraiser involving pink shirts. "We tried to get the Pink Heals tour to come through, which is a campaign that's held nationally," Lt. Brian Gamble said. He said the tour brings pink firetrucks through communities, and women cancer survivors can sign the trucks. Their attempt didn't work this year ? they're hoping they can bring the truck to Lady Lake in 2012 ? but they decided to wear and sell pink shirts throughout October to raise money for local cancer charities and spread cancer awareness. "Everybody in the field is wearing pink shirts from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31," Gamble said. "Our administration, everyone in the offices, are doing them every Friday." The shirts, which are bright pink and feature logos for the department and a breast cancer ribbon, cost $12 for shirts sized small through extra-large, while larger shirts are $15. Citizens wishing to purchase shirts can do so by visiting Chick-fil-A of The Villages between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Fridays in October or buying them online through lakefirefighters.com. "We want everybody to have one of them, basically," Gamble said. "Our goal is to turn Lake County pink." Karen Mercer, marketing director for Chick-fil-A of The Villages, said the restaurant is also offering some incentives to purchase a shirt. On the Fridays that firefighters will be selling shirts, employees also will be wearing the shirts, she said. "Brian reached out to me earlier this week and wanted to know if he could come out and sell the shirts Friday afternoons, and after giving it more thought, we decided we would give every person that buys a shirt a coupon for a free ice cream cone," Mercer said. Additionally, 50 cents of every strawberry milkshake sold this month will be donated to local charities, which will be retroactive to include the whole month. Firefighters on duty Wednesday afternoon at Station 52 in Lady Lake said the department and community have embraced the shirts. "I love it. I don't mind wearing pink at all," said Jeff Sacco, a firefighter/EMT. "It's for a good cause. I have a close family friend battling the disease now." Ben Briggs, a fellow firefighter/EMT, agreed. "Everybody comes up to us and asks if it's for breast cancer," he said. "You definitely get noticed," Sacco added. Buffy Tucci, a fellow firefighter/EMT and cervical cancer survivor, said it's been touching to see the response. "I think it's amazing. The more awareness, the more funding, the more likely it is to find a cure," she said. "Everyone in the county is excited about it, which makes it even better." Jessica Shumaker is a reporter with the Daily Sun. She can be reached at 753-1119, ext. 9089, or jessica.shumaker@thevillagesmedia.com.