Main St. Announces Expansion, Return Of Mr. Bucks County Fundraiser

BUCKS COUNTY, PA – Main St. (formerly Pine2Pink), a nonprofit focused on supporting the Bucks County breast cancer community, has announced an expansion of its footprint into Yardley this October and the return of the Mr. Bucks County contest in Newtown Borough.

Main St. is a month-long campaign in October designed to raise money for local breast cancer patients while bolstering local businesses. Its innovative month-long program changes hundreds of lights pink in each town, conducts a month-long augmented reality driven local retail scavenger hunt, curates local retail based special ‘Pink’ offers, and hosts a variety of events. The non-profit has helped more than 2000 local breast cancer patients and raised over $550,000 since its inception.

In late September, Main St. will officially kick-off its fundraising campaign with its Earth Angel Awards and Luminary Stroll hosted by The Mercer Museum in Doylestown and open to the public.

Additionally, Main St. will again be the beneficiary of the much-anticipated second annual Mr. Bucks County competition returning to State Street in Newtown. Last year's event raised a whopping $69,000 for Main St. and Bucks County cancer patients.

"Main St. is very proud of its collaboration with Gina-Maria Santoro of Giovanni’s Fine Fashions and her team composed of the owners of Opus Elite Real-Estate, The Pro Shop of Newtown, Ned’s Cigars and Countryside Framing," said Keith Fenimore, the organization's founder and executive director. "Over the last three years this team, along with nearly 50 retailers and sponsors along historic State Street and the surrounding area in Newtown, have raised close to $100,000 for Main St."

According to Fenimore, anticipation is already building for this year's Light the Night Pink State St. Block Party, a blockbuster Mr. Bucks County Competition and its associated calendar.

“I can honestly say that Giovanni’s Fine Fashions and the businesses of Newtown remain steadfast in their support and commitment to the mission of Main St.," said Gina-Maria Santoro, owner of Giovanni's Fine Fashions. "Together we stand alongside the local breast cancer community with unwavering dedication.

"Even though Newtown has been hosting our Annual Light the Night Pink and Mr. Bucks County event for Main St., this year is particularly poignant for me as my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year," said Santoro. "Being by her side throughout this journey has opened my eyes to the immense challenges people battling breast cancer face - whether financial, emotional, or physical."

Last year, Newtown Borough Police Sgt. Sean Orr, second from left, was crowned the first Mr. Bucks County. With him are, from left, Chadd Levine, Gina Santoro and Mark Gatta.

She added, "It’s comforting to know that Main St. raises funds that provide free services and programs to those who might not otherwise have access. It makes all the effort we put into this event 100 percent worth it.”

In addition to adding new events, each year Main St. has continued to expand its footprint, gradually turning the county pink.

What began in 2018 in Doylestown has spread to New Hope, Carversville, Peddler’s Village, Newtown, Perkasie and the Shops at Valley Square. This year, Main St. is expanding once again, this time to Yardley where businesses like the popular Giana Rose Couture and others have already committed to supporting Main St. during the month of October.

“Yardley is an amazing town," said Fenimore. "We are happy that we’ve been able to connect with local retailers and community members who want to support our non-profit’s mission. It was a natural extension to bring Main St. to Yardley. Our hope is in years to come Yardley Borough and municipality leaders will join their local businesses and support Main St. to increase the impact our non-profit has on the lives of Yardley residents battling breast cancer.”

Main St. is set to launch its seventh season at the Mercer Museum in the heart of the cultural district of Doylestown on Thursday, September 26 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The museum will be illuminated in pink throughout the month.

Along the Luminary Stroll in Doylestown. (Main St. photo)

The special night will feature the non-profit’s popular Luminary Stroll and Earth Angel Awards. Pine St. will be closed to traffic and hundreds of luminary bags featuring personalized messages written by community members to those who have, or who are battling breast cancer will line both sides of the street.

The night will continue with an awards presentation honoring three people who are doing amazing work and making a positive impact on the breast cancer community.

The event is free to the public. Anyone interest in writing a personal message on a luminary bag should visit www.welcometomainst.org/events. A donation is suggested for each message.

"We want to thank Sandy and Bob McIntyre with Grace Media Services Inc. and Stone Hill Contracting for producing this entire event for Main St. and the folks at the Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle for hosting us for the seventh year in a row," said Fenimore.

The programs created and funded by Main St. are extensive and include, but are not limited to: home food delivery, patient out-of-pocket expenses, cold-capping, treatment transportation, patient comfort bags, integrative services and the purchase of infusion chairs at Fox Chase in Buckingham and Doylestown’s Cancer Center.

Main St. is still accepting sponsorships and partnerships from those in the community who own a business and have interest. To become a sponsor, partner or host an event, visit www.welcometomainst.org or email keith@welcometomainst.org.

There are multiple ways to get involved, participate and support:

• Thousands of lights will turn pink from streetlamps to storefronts, museums, municipal buildings, car dealerships, shopping malls and people’s homes.
• Main St. will benefit from nearly 20 events throughout the month.
• Shopping with Purpose: Nearly 100 stores and restaurants will participate in the non-profit’s ‘Shop, Eat and Drink Pink’ program through Sept. 15 where special Main St. items will be sold with a percentage of sales going to Main St.
• The Main St. free app uses ‘augmented reality’ to create an interactive scavenger hunt, where more than 100 virtual ‘hugs’ will be hidden across Bucks County. Using smartphones people will capture the hugs for prizes including gift cards and experience-based prizes.

Visit the nonprofit's website to donate or participate in community events. Donations can also be made via check and sent to P.O. Box 307, Doylestown 18901 or through its website. Follow Main St. on Facebook at @Mainst and Instagram at @welcometomainst.