Newtown Businesses Raise $69K For Bucks County Breast Cancer Patients

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA ? The Newtown business community not only turned the town pink in October, they raised just shy of $70,000 for Main St., a nonprofit devoted to supporting breast cancer patients in Bucks County.

During a block party fundraiser that featured the crowning of the first-ever Mr. Bucks County, the community came together to raise $69,000 for the nonprofit, which supports breast cancer patients at Fox Chase Cancer Center Buckingham, Grand View Health, Doylestown Health, and the Kin Wellness and Support Center through programs such as food assistance, cold capping, integrative services, counseling and therapy, out-of-pocket expenses, treatment transportation, comfort bags and treatment center support and improvements.

The organizers gathered in front of Giovanni's Fine Fashions and Opus Elite Real Estate to officially present Keith Fenimore, the founder of Main St., with a ceremonial check marking the donation.

?The money Newtown raised through Light the Night Pink and the Mr. Bucks County competition is the single largest donation ever made to our non-profit Main St.," said Fenimore. "We are eternally grateful to the retailers and local entrepreneurs in Newtown who spearheaded this entire event. They are doing wonders for our local breast cancer community through their support of Main St.?

During the special "Light The Night Pink" fundraising evening in October, 12 contestants, including a restaurant owner, a developer, the mayor of Newtown, a police sergeant, an attorney, and the executive director of the historic Newtown Theatre, competed for the title of Mr. Bucks County.

The men?s fashion show culminated nearly three months of fundraising by the contestants and the crowning of Mr. Bucks County, the contestant who raised the most money for Main St. by encouraging friends and family to vote for them online by making a donation.

In addition to the fashion show, the business owners compiled a calendar spotlighting each of the 12 contestants in a series of humorous photos captured by photographer Joe Dantone. The calendars were sold at the block party for $20 each and are also available through Giovanni?s.

The block party also included Ardana Pizza and Newtown Water Ice, which donated proceeds from the evening to Main St. The evening also included thousands of dollars raised from raffle prizes and gift baskets.

?We exceeded all expectations,? said Giovanni?s owner Gina Santoro, who came up with the idea of the contest. ?It was an amazing night. The backdrop, the people, the contestants, the music, the pink carpet. It was an electric atmosphere," she said. "I hope everyone enjoyed it and fed off of it like we did.

?Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,? she said to the contestants and to people who donated and came out to the block party. ?This is not possible without them.?