By: Julia Kazar

Events to raise money for cancer prevention and awareness are everywhere these days, but few are as creative as The Celtic Club’s “Bras Across the Crooked River” event.  The event will take place on Saturday, September 11th from noon until 9 p.m. at Home Savings Bank Plaza in downtown Kent as part of the Kent Irish Festival.  The day of the event, bras that have been donated will be stretched all the way across the river in a powerful statement about breast cancer.

Currently they have about 320 donated bras and they need at least 500 for this to be a success; with the amount they have now they can only fill the north side of the river.  Please make a donation so this event can be successful.  If you would like to donate a bra, preferably new, there are 23 locations around the area where you can, including The Arctic Squirrel, Kent Area Chamber of Commerce, Kent Mayor’s Office, Hartville News, MacConmara Academy of Irish Dance and Suburbanite Newspaper.  For a full list of donation sites contact The Celtic Club.  You can donate bras right up until the event.

The event is in honor of Marisa Manocchio, the honorary chairperson and a 19 year old Kent State college student battling breast cancer.  Marisa has a full class schedule studying secondary mathematics education, is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments and works at Home Savings Bank.  Through it all she manages to keep a smile on her face and is constantly lifting everyone’s spirits who are around her.

Bras on the Crooked River

Taken at one of the donation sites, the Arts in Stark building in Canton. (L-R)- Jim Griffin (Canton City Councilman), Christian Harwell (Cyrus Custom Framing and Art Gallery), Marisa Manocchio (Honorary Chairperson), Robb Hankins (Arts in Stark CEO), Maria Byington (Arcadia Grille) and Kim Yoder (Arts in Stark)

Everyone who shows up on the day of the event and makes a donation will receive a bra, a memory card and a pink ribbon that they will be able to attach to a rope running across the river.  This is going to be a great event raising awareness for breast cancer.  It is the first of its kind in the area but, if it’s successful, organizers hope it will become a longstanding tradition.  It will definitely make a statement about breast cancer when 500 bras are spanning the river.  There will also be twelve groups performing throughout the day, including the MacConmara Irish Dancers who will invite the audience to participate in the dancing with them.

When the event is over all the bras will be donated to Dr. John C. Pedersen, a local doctor who founded Breast Oasis, a program that will send the bras to women who have been affected by natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, and battered woman’s shelters.  All money donated during the event will go towards the American Cancer Society, who redistributes it to programs and research most in need of help.  The money is going to a very deserving place.  So please, if you are able, donate either a bra or some money or both at the Bras Across the Cooked River event.

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