For the month of September, there will be an extra splash of colour cutting through the grey and brown of construction surrounding city hall.
Yesterday, members of the local event committee and city politicians raised a bright pink flag to mark the official beginning of Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure Month in Prince George.
"It's great for us to fly the flag to get everyone excited and make sure they come out [for Run for the Cure]," said Mayor Dan Rogers.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the event in Prince George, which takes place Oct. 2. There is a non-competitive 5km and 1km walk or run beginning and ending at the Civic Centre. The Prince George branch is part of a nation-wide movement to raise money to eradicate breast cancer. Run for the Cure is the largest single-day, volunteer-led event in Canada in support of the cause.
Since 2001, the Prince George run has raised more than $1.1 million. Last year alone brought in $112,125 with more than 600 participants.
"This is a great cause," Rogers said, thanking the organizing committee members for their hard work.
Committee co-chairs Marjo van Helvoirt-Koop and Shari Wingfield have been working on putting the October event together since February. Both breast cancer survivors, the two women said they got involved as a way to give back.
"It's inspirational to know the community is behind us," Wingfield said. "It gives other people hope."
One key message van Helvoirt-Koop is hoping to get out is the importance of early detection and going for regular mammograms.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian women and it's estimated 22,700 women were diagnosed with the disease last year - an increase of 500 woman from 2009. One in nine Canadian women are expected to develop breast cancer during their lifetime.
The Run for the Cure is still accepting volunteers and participants. To register for the run, to help out or to make a donation, visit www.runforthecure.com.
