Friends 'Paint the Town Pink' for Vicki Branson

When you Paint the Town Pink on Thursday, you can do it for Vicki Branson.

This year's event is in memory of the late Vicki Branson, a seven-year employee at Maurice Jewelry Design who recently passed away from cancer. It raises money for Morton Plant Mease's Mammography Voucher Program, which provides free breast cancer services to women of a certain income level and who have no health insurance.

Shoppers can enter to win raffle prizes and discounts from more than 25 downtown shops, enjoy live music and specials at local restaurants, and get their hair "streaked" pink to benefit the voucher program.

Branson was first diagnosed with breast cancer last year through the voucher program. Branson had many friends downtown who helped her through months of grueling chemotherapy. A vibrant and grateful Branson was declared cancer free shortly before last year's Paint the Town Pink event in October 2011.

Her cancer returned over the summer, however, and Branson succumbed to the disease this September. 

Maurice Jewelry Design is donating a $500 pink zirconia necklace to be raffled during the event.

Want to go?

• When: Thursday, Oct. 18 from 5 to 9 p.m.
• Where: Participating shops and restaurants on Main Street, Broadway and along the Pinellas Trail will have a pink ribbon in the window. Tickets can be purchased at any participating venue or in front of the Dunedin Historical Museum. 
• Contact: Jane Sweeney at 727-736-0869