By Oniska Blevins | The Selma Times-Journal

The Real Men Wear Pink campaign came to the Dallas County area for the first time in October, and as a result raised over $20,000 for the American Cancer Society and the 2018 Relay for Life of Dallas County.

Alvin Craig, Relay for Life event lead, said the event went well and was a wonderful experience. “The community comes together in times of need,” Craig said.

The campaign had 27 prominent men from the Dallas County area that led the way for fundraising. The men organized bake sales, cookouts and other mini-fundraising events to raise money for campaign.

The three men who raised the most money for the fundraiser were William Lumpkin with $2,085, Alvin Craig with $1,929 and Ronnie Walker with $1,220.

“I wear pink in honor of my longtime friends, Diane and Jessie Draine, who are breast cancer survivors,” said Lumpkin, who is a council member for the town of Orrville. “I want to personally thank everyone for the incredible support and helping eradicate breast cancer.”

Craig said next year they are planning to start the event earlier than they did this year. This year’s Real Men Wear Pink Campaign started in late September and ended in early November.

Craig said they are having the Relay for Life kickoff in January.

“Cancer has a big part of our community right now, and we need to help our cancer patients fight this dreadful disease,” Craig said.

According to the American Cancer Society Cancer Facts and Figures for 2017, an estimated 3,960 women in Alabama will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and 620 will die from the disease.

“Cancer is everywhere. It’s not just in the large cities,” Craig said. “Cancer is right here at home and we are doing our best to help our local citizens as well as fund the research for cancer.”

For more information on volunteering and donating to Relay for Life of Dallas County and American Cancer Society visit www.relayforlife.org/dallasal and donate3.cancer.org.