Photo: Friends Abreast

The Shuswap Rotary Club has made a $2,000 donation to a breast cancer awareness campaign put together by a local dragon boat team.

“Last week, Caleb Espinoza of the Shuswap Rotary Club presented a cheque for $2,000 to the Friends Abreast Dragon Boat team to support their 2025 Dress the Town Pink Campaign,” said Liz Burdeniuk, treasurer of Friends Abreast.

She said thanks to the support from the Rotary, this October's campaign will be bigger and better than ever.

“Through the support of the Shuswap Rotary Club, Friends Abreast will be able to invite as many Salmon Arm businesses as possible to participate in our Dress the Town Pink this year,” Burdeniuk said.

This year, even more pink satin ribbons will be available to tie to the Salmon Arm Wharf in memory of a loved one affected by cancer.

Funds raised from this year's Dress the Town Pink campaign will be donated to the Shuswap Hospital Foundation to help fund the purchase of new mammography equipment.

Burdeniuk said along with their work on breast cancer awareness, Friends Abreast is also working to build the sport of dragonboating in the Shuswap.

From the total Rotary donation, $850 will go to support the Shuswap Dragon Boat Festival, scheduled to take place on June 14, 2025.

The Friends Abreast team is composed of breast cancer survivors, friends and supporters of those battling the disease.

All women are invited to join the team, regardless of age or ability. If you would like to find out more about joining the dragon boat team or the Dress the Town Pink Campaign, visit the Friends Abreast website.