TORONTO - As part of our on-going support of the fight against breast cancer, Roots and Rethink Breast Cancer hosted a gala evening last night to launch the 2005 Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC) campaign. The event was aimed at raising funds for and awareness of the Canadian charity Rethink Breast Cancer.
Roots Co-Founders Michael Budman and Don Green, along with Rethink Breast Cancer, hosted the evening at the Roots flagship store at 100 Bloor St. West which attracted some 800 people including various celebrities and leading members of the Canadian fashion media. Jeanne Becker, Editor of FQ Magazine and host of Fashion Television, was on stage to MC the main ceremony on the upper level of the store. In separate speeches, Michael Budman and Ceri Marsh, Editor of Fashion Magazine, paid tribute to Rethink and its work in the battle against breast cancer.
Adding to the evening were performances by Lenni Jabour and DJs from 4 Corners, Andy McCurbin (Da Voice of Roots Radio), and the presence of the Varga Girls who also presented some of the raffle prizes. Among those in attendance were actress Kelly Lynch, Olympic Gold Medalist Adam van Koeverden, Canadian Idol Judge Zack Werner, famed video director Little. X and actress Tara Spencer Narin from CTV's Corner Gas.
From the media, Ceri Marsh, Editor of Fashion, Jane Francisco, Editor of Wish, Luigi Carrubba, Fashion Editor of Wish, Laura Fraioli-Keogh, Editor of Fashion 18, Lori Seymour, Senior Editor of The Look, Naomi Kim, Deputy Editor of 2 Magazine, Enza Anderson, Metro, and camera crews from etalk Daily and A-List (Toronto One), all made the scene.
Rethink was well represented with Mary-Jo DeCoteau, Executive Director; Alison Gordon, Director of Marketing and Communications; and Amanda Blakley, National Manager of Special Events.
This year, as in the past, Roots is the exclusive retail partner for the FTBC 2005 T-shirt. Fifty per cent of net proceeds of the sale of every T-shirt go to help fund Rethink Breast Cancer’s vital research and awareness programs. Since its launch in Canada in 2001, the FTBC campaign has raised more than $500,000 to further the cause.
The FTBC T-shirt is now on sale exclusively at many Roots stores across the country. It’s been updated to reflect the new flirty and feminine looks for 2005 including a new interpretation of the now famous Target logo originally designed by Polo/Ralph Lauren for the first U.S. campaign in 1994.
Fashion Targets Breast Cancer was created by Ralph Lauren and is now a leading international breast cancer fundraising and awareness-building initiative. Since launching in the U.S., FTBC has been produced in Canada, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cyprus, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.
“We are excited to be the exclusive retail partner of Rethink’s Fashion Targets Breast Cancer Campaign,” says Michael Budman, Roots co-founder. “Our support of this campaign reflects our on-going commitment to good causes. We see this as part of our social responsibility efforts. Roots is wholeheartedly committed to helping raise funds for Rethink Breast Cancer through this vital and innovative campaign.”
Fashion Targets Breast Cancer was created in 1994 by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), representing more than 250 leading fashion designers.
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