By Gabrielle Terrett

The Vicksburg Post

Breast cancer is a very serious disease that affects roughly 250,000 women in the U.S. each year.

The Riverwalk Casino understands this and in an effort to raise awareness and funds has conducted a “Bras Across the Bridge” walk and fundraiser for the past 11 years.

Saturday, more than 50 men, women and children came together to adorn themselves in pink to cross the bridge.

“The walk itself for me is just sort of a celebration of the entire event,” Ginny Tzotzolas, general manager of Riverwalk Casino, said. “We’ve spent the entire month collecting bras and it’s a great chance for people to come out and see what we’ve accomplished and see how much the donation is going to be, and once again, to have a chance to just celebrate with us.”

Though the community participates directly with the walk, the most hands-on portion of the casino fundraiser is the bra donations.

“We donate $1 for every bra that is collected,” said Tzotzolas. “With the bras themselves, anything that is usable we give to women shelters in the state of Mississippi and anything that’s just kind of trashed goes to the Salvation Army because they recycle textiles. So not only do we do the financial donations, but then the bras get donated as well.”

Each year the amount of money that the event raises for breast cancer awareness is kept disclosed until close to the end of the walk and each year the organization exceeds the number of funds raised the previous year.

This year was no different as the organization raised more than $11,000, compared to last years $9,794.

“Not including this year’s donation we’ve raised over $135,000,” she said. “This years donations come to about $11,000 and if I do the math it’s a little bit over $146,000 in 11 years.”

Riverwalk Casino plans to continue to raise money for breast cancer awareness and research until a cure is found.

“I just want to thank the community for their support,” Tzotzolas. “They’re the ones that do this. It wouldn’t be a good event if people didn’t participate.”