Plainridge to host Men Wear Pink breast cancer fundraiser

Plainville, MA — Everyone knows someone whose life has been affected by cancer and since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Plainridge Park is teaming up with the American Cancer Society and Men Wear Pink of Boston to raise funds for their Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign.

The Plainridge Park event is called Men Wear Pink: A Sulky Social and it will be held on Friday, October 25 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the harness racing side of Plainridge Park Casino.

At the track you can enjoy delicious food and drink, but you also have a chance at winning some big prizes. While watching the races at the Sulky Social, you can go to the casino and swipe your Penn Play card to get an entry to deposit at any of the promotional kiosks for a chance to win. Five lucky people will be drawn at 8 p.m. to win up to $250 in Penn Slot Play. Your entry must be placed in the drum before 7:59 p.m.

Men Wear Pink is a distinguished group of community leaders, determined to raise awareness and money to support a mission to save more lives than ever from breast cancer. When communities unite to fight breast cancer, great things happen. By tapping into the power of pink, Men Wear Pink has raised more than $40 million since its inception which fuels a live 24/7 helpline for answers and support, breakthrough breast research, and so much more.

Plainridge Park Casino’s General Manager, North Grounsell, is a Men Wear Pink of Boston Ambassador and he is stepping up and using the power of wearing pink to raise funds and work to end breast cancer as we know it. Every dollar raised at the Sulky Social will help the American Cancer Society save more lives from breast cancer through early detection and prevention, breakthrough breast cancer discovery and research, and lifesaving patient support.

Every dollar makes a difference in the fight against this disease and every horseman, horsewoman and horse person’s organization involved with harness racing at Plainridge Park has stepped up to the plate to show their support and make a real impact by setting a goal of $30,000 and working hard to achieve it.

As a strong kick-start towards that number, substantial monetary donations have been pledged by Plainridge Park, the Harness Horseman’s Association of New England (HHANE), the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts (SOMINC) and the New England Amateur Harness Driver’s Association.

The track is also encouraging that all connections of horses racing that day deck out their starters in pink from head to toe and to help facilitate that, Plainridge Park will provide pink Vetwrap on race day to enhance the look. HHANE has purchased white and pink driving gloves and will make sure every driver is wearing them. And SOMINC has purchased six presentation blankets that will be used in specific named races during the afternoon.

The track is also encouraging that donations be made by the connections of everyone racing that day, fans at the track and anyone not attending who can donate online, to do so to help this initiative.

Plainridge Park’s leading trainer, Jimmy Nickerson, is intimately familiar with this disease as his wife, Heidi, is a breast cancer survivor. Heidi fought and won her battle and she and Jimmy are now both fully focused on doing whatever they can moving forward to end this and other cancers in the future.

As part of their mission, they have formed “Team Nickerson” for this fundraiser and have the full support of all their owners and their driver, Matty Athearn. And every member of Team Nickerson will be donating 20% of all purse winnings from Friday to Men Wear Pink of Boston through the Sulky Social.

Team Nickerson has also put out a challenge to everyone who races at Plainridge Park, including those who will be on hand for the Massachusetts Breeders Stake finals on Thursday (Oct. 24), to meet this challenge and donate to this worthy cause as well.

Anyone wishing to make a contribution and help Plainridge Park reach the $30,000 goal can donate directly to the American Cancer Society’s Men Wear Pink of Boston by following this link.

by Tim Bojarski, for Plainridge Park