Mission Viejo residents of all ages are joining in a celebration that includes painting the town purple and donating hair for Locks of Love in an effort to raise awareness and funds for the June Relay for Life.
Philip J. Reilly Elementary School and others are expected to sport purple ribbons in honor of the American Cancer Society’s Paint Our Town Purple Week. The week, which encourages the public to decorate, dress and plant purple, is designed to inspire others to support Relay for Life events throughout the country.
Purple passion will resonate on Wednesday when the elementary school hosts a Locks of Love event at 2:30 p.m. Locks of Love provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss from cancer or any diagnosis. The public is invited to participate in the event that will be held at 24171 Pavion.
Paint Our Town Purple Week comes as organizers gear up for the June 5-6 Relay for Life event at Saddleback College.
Relay for Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs. During the event, teams will take turns walking or running laps. At nightfall, hundreds of luminaries will be lit in a moving ceremony to honor cancer survivors and remember those who lost their battle to the disease.
“Relay for Life is a unique community event that allows individuals from all walks of life to join in the fight against cancer … It’s about being a community that takes up the fight,” said Barbara Backes, co-chair of 2010 Mission Viejo Relay for Life.
For more information about Relay for Life, visit www.relayforlife.org/missionviejoca or e-mail bbackesmvrelay@gmail.com or ablairmvrelay@gmail.com.
