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Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization
Originating in 1991, Y-ME was a leading non-profit organization helping to provide solutions, support, and referrals for those suffering from breast cancer. Y-ME provided a national hotline, men's hotline, support groups, breast cancer awareness workshops, a teen program, and a plethora of other services, free of charge. In 1997, Y-ME was the largest cancer information and support organization in the country. The Y-ME Organization's mission was to raise breast cancer awareness, and called upon the Chicagoland community to show its support for those fighting breast cancer. The 1997 Y-ME race was a pivotal year for the organization as it marked the 6th annual race in Chicago's Grant Park. Race Co-Chair, Linda Frosolone and her co-chairpersons, Beth Apley and Ruth Brody worked on securing commitments from partners like American Airlines, Boston Market, the Chicago Tribune, and WNUA 95.5, and cultivated new alliances with Baxter International, NBC 5 Television, Ulta Cosmetics and Salon, 3M and TJ Maxx. Apley was strongly involved since the beginning of Y-ME. Since then, she assisted the race creator Margaret Harte into the Junior League of Chicago and their base of volunteers, in 1990. The 1997 Y-ME Event featured a 5K race throughout the streets of Chicago along with a two-mile lakefront walk.

Y-ME Sculpture
The Y-ME Race Against Breast Cancer gave tribute to patients and survivors through the recognition of a sculpture created by Ronsley, Inc. The sculpture was four-foot wide steel-and-foam with a mesh body, providing race and walk participants with an interactive symbol of the struggle against the disease. At the time of the race, participants were able to write messages of hope on pink ribbons and then tie the ribbons to the sculpture. The sculpture was designed by 22-year old Graphic Artist, Michael Andrews. Andrews traveled to several sites throughout Chicago to symbolize breast cancer survivors, victims, friends, and families. "Amy Harris, co-chair person of the Y-ME Race Against Breast Cancer, and Liz Stone, Y-ME director of public education, read names on the Y-ME Breast Cancer Awareness Sculpture in the Harold Washington Public Library. Each ribbon on the sculpture 'symbolized' a person affected by breast cancer."

Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization's Paint the Town Pink
Paint the Town Pink was created out of the Y-ME Organization by Paula Harris and Amy Harris, sister-in-laws, both eager to spread breast cancer awareness. Approximately one month a year prior to the Y-ME '97 race, "pink ribbons hung from Chicago landmarks, pink banners lined city streets, pink lights beamed from building rooftops, and pink window displays graced retail stores, big and small." Co-chairpersons, Paula and Amy Harris of the Paint the Town Pink initiative were sponsored in part by the Mayor's office of Special Events. Paula and Amy gave their recognition to Alderman Ginger Rugai for helping them in creating the remarkable city connection with Mayor Richard M. Daley. The program was kicked off in 1996 by Mayor Richard M. Daley by placing pink breast cancer awareness ribbons on Chicago's Historic Water Tower. Paint the Town Pink also took place from April 11 through May 11, 1997, raising breast cancer awareness nationwide, and promoted Y-ME's annual Mother's Day fund-raiser, the Y-ME Race Against Breast Cancer.

Background
For the first time in Chicago's history, Chicago was painted pink with pride in support of breast cancer patients, survivors, and their families. Businesses, civic organizations, and families throughout Chicago joined in on Painting the Town Pink by placing pink lights on top of buildings, hanging pink banners and posters on CTA buses, displaying the color pink in window storefronts, and people even showed their support by wearing the color pink. The Y-ME Race Against Breast Cancer included a five-kilometer run and a two-mile walk that kicked off on Sunday, May 12th, 1996 in Grant Park at Columbus and Balbo, Chicago. Mrs. Maggie Daley hung a six-foot pink ribbon on the Chicago Picasso to kickstart the Y-ME Paint the Town Pink Campaign. Assisting Maggie in spreading awareness were breast cancer survivors, Y-ME officials, health professionals, and Paint the Town Pink Participants.

Chicago Tickled Pink
With the help of local Chicago businesses and civic leaders throughout the city, Y-ME's Paint the Town Pink Campaign came alive. Following Chicago's Water Tower came other landmarks that were tickled with the color pink: the Merchandise Mart and other Chicago buildings shined pink. The Daley Center, the Art Institute of Chicago, Navy Pier, the Chicago Park District, the Chicago Historical Society, the Merchandise Mart, and the Greater State Street Council, and other sponsors became secured support for Y-ME's Paint the Town Pink Campaign. Pink lights were shown on the top of the Merchandise Mart, to beribboned coach horses along Michigan Avenue, to lighted signs in Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park, to pink retail window displays from Saks Fifth Avenue to Marshall Field.

Y-ME Race Hits a Record Attendance
Breast Cancer supporters flooded the streets on Mother's Day morning in '97. Despite the harsh weather conditions, 11,000 people came out to participate in the 5K/2M walk, including Illinois Governor Jim Edgar and First Lady Brenda Edgar. The '97 race raised more than $500,000 dollars through pledges, sponsorships, registrations, and donations. Some of the corporate sponsors to support the Event were "Baxter, BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois, Columbia Healthcare Chicago, Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation, TJ Maxx, Walgreens, 3M, Utla3 Cosmetics & Salon, Boston Market, American Airlines, WNUA 95.5, NBC 5-TV, and the Chicago Tribune." The Y-ME Mother's Day Race crowd was provided nourishment by table sponsors: Einstein Bros. Bagels, Coca Cola, Everfresh Juice, Frito-Lay, Power Bar, Starbucks Coffee and Grand Food Winnetka. Along with these sponsors, Fashion Group International (FGI) provided receipts from local retail participants who shopped on Mother's Day in support for the Y-ME Organization. "NBC 5-TV Anchor Joan Esposito welcomed and honored dignitaries and spoke to the crowd of thousands about the station's commitment to Y-ME and breast cancer awareness. Among business and civic leaders who joined Governor and Mrs. Edgar to participate in the Race were U.S. Senator Carol Moseley-Braun, U.S. Congressmen Rod Blagojevich and William Lipinski, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, Illinois Representatives Judy Irwin and Tom Cross, Illinois Senator Chris Lauzen, and Chicago Alderman Virginia Rugai, to name a few Sharon Green, Illinois Department of Public Health Deputy Director for Women's Health (and former Y-ME Executive Director), acted as Official Race Starter. Under the leadership of Race co-chairs Linda Frosolone, Ruth Brody, Beth Apley, Volunteer Coordinator Meredith Linhart, and Paint the Town Pink co-chairs Paula and Amy Harris, more than 500 volunteers gave their time and talents to make 'the 1997' Race the biggest and best ever."

Paula Harris
Paula Harris was diagnosed with breast cancer at 30 years-old. Paula, along with her sister-in-law, Amy Harris, conceived and curated the idea of turning the city of Chicago pink. These two women wanted to generate greater awareness for the breast cancer cause for the Y-ME Mother's Day Race Against Breast Cancer. Paula Harris addressed in her approach to begin the Paint the Town Pink Campaign, "Pink is the nationally recognized color for breast cancer survivor support, and we figured there was no better way to illustrate that support than by turning the entire city pink." Paula was an active Y-ME volunteer including co-chair of Paint the Town Pink, co-chair of the Y-ME Race Against Breast Cancer for two years, and coordinated the Y-ME Fall Fashion Show. A principal at Golub & Company, and previous owner of the John Hancock Center, Paula was personally familiar with the process of 'turning' a building pink. Paula turned to her real estate colleagues to set Chicago's skyline 'ablaze in pink light'. Paula remarks, "When I hear of a new building or landmark that's turned pink for the cause, I know it could be the catalyst that reminds someone to do their breast self-exam or schedule their annual mammogram."

Participants and Sponsorship
The initial "pink participants" for the 1997 race included the Daley Plaza, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Historical Society, the Greater State Street Council, Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc., Navy Pier, Ronsley, Inc., Robert Jeffrey Studios, and Sony Theaters. Robert Jeffrey Studio was a pink pioneer in creating the Paint the Town Pink revolution. Bob LaMorte, owner of Jeffrey Studios remarks, "I speak on behalf of all Paint the Town Pink participants in saluting Y-ME, which provides something just as important as research–giving patients and their families support, encouragement, and vital information so they can make informed choices on how to take on this disease." Ulta, joined Y-ME as a corporate sponsor, donating all its proceeds from their specialized pink products as well as the selling candles at the Y-ME Mother's Day RACE Against Breast Cancer. One of the country's leading women apparel catalogs, Barrie Pace, pledged its support to Y-ME in helping combat breast cancer, in its Spring 2017 catalog. The Hartmarx owned catalog donated $25 dollars for each scarf sold and $8 dollars for its ring collection. Long Grove Confectionery Co, purveyors of fine chocolate, offered coupons in partnership with the Y-ME Organization to raise breast cancer awareness.

Chicago In Focus
The Fashion Group International of Chicago, Inc. (FGI) was a partnered program for the Y-ME RACE Against Breast Cancer. FGI created a special one-day fundraiser shopping event. The program was an extension to the established Paint the Town Pink Program, which effectively promotes both breast cancer awareness and its annual Race Against Breast Cancer. The FGI event, held the day before Mother's Day, invigorated the message, "Give a Gift to Mother's Everywhere...Shop Saturday, May 10th!" Thirty-two retailers and thirteen sponsors joined FGI and Y-ME, located in the Barrington and Lincoln Park areas. Retail participants joined FGI and Y-ME on May 10th, 1997 by donating 10% of their Saturday sales. Sponsors outside of retailer establishments donated anywhere from $250 to $1000 dollars. FGI gave its participants banners to put on display, and Connie judge of mailings curated special promotional postcard mailings for retailers. Those participating with FGI and Y-ME received exposure in two ads in the Chicago Tribune, a special offer flyer for Y-ME's membership, a mention in the Junior League of Chicago newsletter, and a listing in the Max Racks postcards showcased throughout the city of Chicago. The FGI raised more than $10,000 for Y-ME, and in addition, the Fashion Group Foundation donated $5,000 dollars in making the total contribution amount to $15,000 dollars. Lauren Falk, Susan Glick, Jane Hamill, and Jaclyn Kim were all to thank for the success of the FGI project. Paula and Amy Harris were also to thank for their support in turning Chicago Pink along with their contributions to the Y-ME Organization in spreading breast cancer awareness.

Celebrity Involvement
During the 1995 Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization's Race Against Breast Cancer, five-time Olympic Gold Medalist Bonnie Blair was a special guest. Chicago Bull's player, Dennis Rodman gave tribute to the Y-ME Breast Cancer Organization. Suspended after kicking a cameraman, Rodman decided to donate his funds to charity by playing for free in his first 11 games. Director of patient services for Y-ME, Michelle Merlin, was stunned by Rodman's response and addresses that he even dyed his hair pink for Mother's Day in April the previous year to '97 in support of breast cancer awareness. Dennis Rodman donated his salary in a home game against Orlando - $50,000 to $100,000 - to the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. Dennis remarks, "Y-ME has helped many women and their families cope with breast cancer, a disease that has affected my family. Women with breast cancer need a place to go that helps them to get the skills and the attitude they need to fight this disease."

One of the leading female contemporary Jazz artist's, Keiko Matsui, promoted breast cancer awareness to help educate and build funds for the Y-ME initiative against breast cancer. Matsui performed a series of concerts, featuring a week of "House of Pink" shows at the House of Blues, where proceeds benefited the Y-ME Organization. Matsui's Hope Tour first stopped in Chicago on May 5th, 1997, the start of Mother's Day week, and part of the Paint the Town Pink Program leading up to the Y-ME Mother's Day Race Against Breast Cancer.