The Embrace Your Sisters Tea/Fashion Show took place on May 6^th at the, Inn on the Lake in Canandaigua. Embrace Your Sisters is an organization that supports women who are going through breast cancer treatments. They can give advice, moral support or monetary support. For example, if a woman is having trouble paying her bills, through chemotherapy due to medical expenses and time lost from work, Embrace Your Sisters may give that person a gift card to a local grocery store so she can buy food for herself or her family. They have also helped women out who can’t afford to purchase a wig. Our own Kim Verstringhe, whom we lost in September to breast cancer, was involved with Embrace Your Sisters. Mrs. Verstringhe was one of the models at the fashion show last year.

In memory of Mrs. Verstringhe, Mrs. Hartman and others decided to make donations to the fashion show this year. Mrs. Verstringhe and Mrs. Hartman used to get together occasionally during the time period she was receiving chemotherapy and sew. Mrs. Verstringhe had asked Mrs. Hartman to show her how to make purses and tote bags; she said it would keep her mind off of her treatments and give her something positive to do while she was home. Therefore, Mrs. Hartman decided to make a purse/tote with fabrics and she knew Mrs. Verstringhe would like it. Then, Mrs. Hartman’s colleagues from Valley Primary building, the Gorham Intermediate building and a few colleagues from the high school who knew Mrs. Verstringhe helped her to fill the totes with all kinds of nice things like shower gels, jewelry, candles, body lotion, dinner gift certificates, manicure/pedicure certificates, certificates to Adorn and TJ Maxx, along with lots of other goodies. The value of their donations was $435.00

During the Fashion Show, a local DJ from WBEE was there to conduct a live auction on a few of the items donated, including the bags. Other items were in a silent auction for the show. They have told, Embrace Your Sisters that Marcus Whitman has officially "embraced" them!

After losing Mrs. Verstringhe, Mrs. Hartman and others has come up with a list of twelve colleagues from Marcus Whitman district, working or retired, who have had breast cancer. We have lost four of them. Mrs. Hartman would like to make an annual donation as a show of support for these colleagues who have been through breast cancer and in honor of those we have lost.