Buffalo Grove cancer campaign really in the pink

Buffalo Grove wants its residents to think pink.

The village is promoting the national cancer awareness program called PINK HEALS.

Buffalo Grove Firefighter/Paramedic Steve Rusin started the initiative within the village's fire department. Pink T-shirts were sold to fire department employees to raise funds and awareness for cancer. The effort quickly spread to other village departments, as well as friends and family.

Fire Chief Terry Vavra said Rusin brought the program to his attention in late September.

"I just simply said, 'Yes. Go for it.'"

Rusin followed that advice to the letter, going the distance.

Several fire departments in the area wore the pink T-shirts during October, which is Cancer Awareness Month. When Rusin approaching Vavra about participating, "I tried to figure out how I could convince a brand new fire chief that his firefighters wanted to wear pink T-shirts on duty."

He said it went much better than he expected. "Long story short: I went to the chief. He allowed us to go pink."

Rusin said his goal was to sell 30 shirts. "My goal was to put our guys in pink." He far exceeded his goal. "We sold over 420 shirts."

He conducted the effort in conjunction with PINK HEALS, a national effort has seen one firefighter in Arizona paint a fire engine pink and drive to the East Coast and back. At his many stops, anyone who wished was allowed to sign the truck. The Web site pinkribbontour.com chronicles that effort.

Rusin said selling 30 T-shirts would have raised $100 toward the food, fuel and lodging of the driver of the fire engine. But the driver refused funds.

"He said his goal and his direction with his program was that the money should go back to help the people in your town or in your area."

Wellness Place in Palatine, which provides cancer education and support, will get the money. Its resources include a lending library, professional counseling and prostate cancer resource center. More than 12 support groups meet at the center.

Village President Elliott Hartstein was enthusiastic about the effort. "I would like Buffalo Grove to think pink, and I would like to put Buffalo Grove on the map as a community that is going to heighten the awareness of cancer throughout this country."

Vavra said the program will be even bigger next year.

"Steve's not good at math. He said 30 and ended up with 430. So I'm going to tell him 100, and we should get somewhere around 10,000."

T-shirts can be purchased through Thanksgiving Day on the village's Web site at vbg.org.

For information about Wellness Place, go to wellnessplace.org.