On Saturday, Jan. 28, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Zeta Tau Alpha house, the women of Union’s Zeta Tau Alpha sorority will host Prayers in Pink—a tribute event for breast cancer survivors and those who have been impacted by breast cancer.
The women of Zeta Tau Alpha will serve guests a light brunch with a candlelight ceremony to follow. Candles will be lit in honor of those who have lost their lives to breast cancer and to honor the survivors in attendance. Guests who are unable to attend in person will be able to join the service through a Zoom call.
The event will feature special guest Ashley Pugh, a professor at Union and a breast cancer survivor, who will speak following a time of worship when a few of the sorority members will sing.
The event is not a fundraiser; instead, it is an opportunity for community outreach. Members of the sorority reached out to the Kirkland Cancer Center and other local women’s clinics to invite guests.
“It’s going to be a moment of remembrance and peace. Not only are we highlighting the people who will be there but also those who aren’t able to be there,” freshman biochemistry major and ZTA philanthropy co-chair, Tetteybea Addo said. “Because they deserve to be remembered.”
Breast cancer awareness and education is Zeta Tau Alpha’s philanthropy and was chosen by the sorority’s national organization.
“Truly, I think philanthropy is such a great opportunity for those in it and out of it,” Addo said. “Philanthropy shouldn’t just be a ‘thing’ in our chapter but something we try to reach out into the community with.”
The Prayers in Pink event happened for the first time in 2021 and was introduced by the sorority’s previous philanthropy chair Kara Montgomery.
“Everyone loved (Prayers in Pink) so much and was impacted by it so much that we’re repeating it again this year,” philanthropy co-chair Sophie Dawson said. “A lot of the girls in the sorority felt like it was an event that brought to light what our sorority and philanthropy meant to them.”
Based on the positive feedback that the event has received so far, Zeta Tau Alpha plans to continue the event in the future.
“Even though we are sorority girls, we do make an impact on the local community and we love our philanthropy,” Dawson said. “And we really strive to make that a part of who we are.”
Zeta Tau Alpha also does an annual Give Cancer a Boot event in the fall, percentage days at local businesses, and they have another large breast cancer awareness event coming up this spring, where all proceeds will go to breast cancer education and awareness.