For the third year running, Collinsville is set to transform into a ‘Sea of Pink’ to celebrate International Women’s Day and help raise funds for the Mater Foundation to fight breast cancer.
The virtual fun run will take place on Sunday March 9, embracing the spirit of the Sea of Pink seen in Brisbane and elsewhere across Australia.
The Collinsville team is aiming high, with a goal of getting 100 people to participate in the 5km walk or run this year.
Organising this year’s event is Alice Randell, Senior Safety Systems and Compliance Coordinator at Collinsville Open Cut and she is reaching out to neighbouring mines and towns, inviting them to join forces with the locals and together create their biggest event yet.
“We’d love to see our neighbours come along and help raise funds for lifesaving research at Mater, to better understand and treat breast cancer now and into the future,” said Alice.
“Why not make a day of it, stay for the free breakfast, then play a round of golf or have lunch at one of our local pubs after the event!”
The event is proudly supported by Glencore’s Collinsville Open Cut operation and Collinsville Community Association, with local businesses and organisations joining in.
In addition to the fundraising made from the event, Alice also started a pink shirt initiative on site last year where Collinsville Open Cut covers the cost of pink high-vis shirts which employees can then purchase with all the proceeds going towards the Mater Foundation.
“Every Wednesday on site, many of our employees proudly wear pink high-vis shirts, ensuring that important conversations around breast cancer don’t stop happening once the event is over.
“It’s been such a popular initiative that our contractors started asking their companies to do the same and so they’ve also come onboard buying pink shirts for their employees and helping us raise even more money.
“Last year, between the event and the pink shirt initiative and with the help of our sponsors, participants, workforce and the community we managed to raise an amazing $15,319 and we’re hoping to match that again this year.
“If you’re interested in joining us and showing your support for women with breast cancer, please register for the event.”
Michael Delahunty, Electrical Engineer at Collinsville Open Cut, has finished first in the event for the past two years and was quick to sign up again this year.
“Supporting the Sea of Pink is important no matter who you are because everyone has been impacted by breast cancer in some form.
“Contributing to the support of families facing the challenges that come along with that diagnosis is incredibly important to me… even more important to me than beating my colleagues in a race!”
| Walk or Run 5km, Your Way Sunday, 9 March 2025. 6:45am for 7am start. Collinsville Golf Club. To join the Collinsville Sea of Pink team or to show support, visit https://fundraise.mater.org.au/join/collinsvilleseaofpink |
