Staff and students at Bayshire Beauty Academy in downtown Bay City are playing host to a very special guest today and Saturday. Nicknamed Pinkie, she is a wedding dress that is being covered with pink buttons to help raise money for local cancer patients.
Until 4:45 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, the public can purchase buttons for $1 each at Bayshire, 917 Saginaw St. The buttons will be sewn on the dress and the money raised will be donated to the Pink Fund. The goal is to cover the entire dress in pink buttons and raise $10,000 to help those in need in this area.
Pinkie is the brainchild of Mary Williamson of Freeland, owner of Simply Charmed by Mary, a personalized charm-making business. Being touched by breast cancer in both her family and friends, Williamson wanted to do something to raise awareness about breast cancer.
“In college, I made a full length evening gown out of buttons,” Williamson said. “I’ve always been fascinated by buttons. I was going to make a button dress and have it go to different businesses to raise awareness of breast cancer. My husband suggested I sell buttons and sew them on the dress.”When Nancy Schafer, owner of Wedding Daze, 510 Salzburg Ave., donated a wedding dress, Pinkie was born.
Williamson and Schafer are both members of the Women in Business Association. Pinkie has been on tour for a few weeks now and already has brought in $1,300. The dress will be on display again from 5-8 p.m. Thursday at Atrium restaurant, 1100 N. Water St. in downtown Bay City, as part of the Women in Business Expo and 1st Thursdays Gallery Walk. Williamson chose to partner with the Pink Fund because the money raised stays local.
“That was important, that they keep it in the area,” said Williamson. “People with breast cancer have a hard enough time. I want them to be able to concentrate on getting better, not going back to work too soon or worrying about something we can help out with.”
Founded by Molly MacDonald, the Pink Fund was formed to provide short-term financial aid to women and men suffering from breast cancer. Money is given to cancer patients to help them pay their bills, which allows them to focus on healing. MacDonald said she is happy to partner with the Pinkie project. “Mid-Michigan has really gotten behind us,” MacDonald said. “Money raised here will be put in a fund for women in the mid-part of the state. “It’s a very interesting community because it is a very giving community.”