Purple days are here again

TORQUAY’S main shopping centre will be getting a purple makeover from Saturday onwards.

The Surf Coast Relay for Life committee has plans to decorate Gilbert Street in purple from February 3 until February 18.

The Surf Coast Shire is sponsoring the event and has donated $1,000 to help “Paint the Town Purple” with signs, bunting and decorations.

“It will be a great way to celebrate World Cancer Day on Sunday February 4, and to let everyone know our two-day relay will be staged at Polwarth Oval, Torquay North, on March 16-17,” committee co-chair Magdalena Wheatland said.

“Our goal is to raise $75,000 this year to take the Surf Coast community’s contributions to Cancer Council Victoria’s coffers to $500,000 over the past six years.”

Mrs Wheatland said Gilbert Street shop owners had been invited to stage purple and yellow displays through their premises, with a competition for the best effort to be judged on February 14.

The 2017 winner was Gilbert Street women’s fashion shop Elise E Boutique.

Enquiries are being made about staging a World Cancer Day march starting at 8.45am from Gilbert Street along The Esplanade to Point Danger and back.

“Our fundraising teams and supporters in their purple shirts would be creating a colourful spectacle and making a powerful statement that the fight against the scourge of cancer is on-going,” Mrs Wheatland said. “Feedback from our first Paint the Town Purple last year indicated a lot of people came to the Surf Coast relay after reading the promotional signage we had set up there.

“We are seeing signs that the research, support and educational programs Cancer Council Victoria has in place are paying off.

“It spurs on our committee and team members to do more, and we hope, creates community awareness of what is being achieved.”

Mrs Wheatland said 16 teams, with a total of 160 participants, had so far registered for this year’s Surf Coast relay.

“We expect another six or so teams to nominate before March, and the committee is well advanced with the activities and entertainment programs to ensure the relay is a great event for families.”