A DOWNTOWN SPECTACLE

Bras on Broadway celebrates ten years of breast cancer fundraising

The colorful bra garlands suspended from the roof of The Hotel Donaldson during the month of October are the most visible part of the Bras on Broadway fundraiser. And that’s intentional, said Hotel Donaldson owner Karen Stoker. The entire fundraising event is designed to get people talking about breast cancer during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and beyond. “Once you start stringing hundreds and hundreds of bras across a building -- and now we have enough to string them across Broadway -- that becomes a spectacle,” said Stoker. “And that was our goal. We want to stop people in their tracks.”

Bras on Broadway will celebrate its 10th year in 2015 having gradually evolved into a threepart fundraising event. First, the community is invited to contribute old bras and a suggested donation of $5 per bra to benefit the Bras and Bros on Broadway Charitable Fund. Bras collected by individuals and teams and can be dropped off at the Hotel Donaldson, all Olivieri’s Salon locations and Catalyst Medical Center in Fargo.

Those who want to contribute a little more bling bring their bras (and free will donations) to the BRAzaar at the Fargo Civic Center on October 8 and decorate them with other members of the community from 6-10 p.m. This high-energy, gender-neutral, family-friendly event has been growing steadily since its inception three years ago. “It’s doubled in size each year,” said Stoker. “If we can accomplish that this year, that’s going to be wonderful. We have room for everybody.”

Once decorated, the bra garlands are assembled and strung from the roof of the Hotel Donaldson during the week of October 26. It’s not uncommon to see traffic slow down and downtown pedestrians peer up as the colorful garlands sway gently in the fall breeze.

Then Stoker and the planning team put the final preparations for the Bras on Broadway event on October 29 in place. Although two employees coordinate the event, she estimates that each of the hotel’s 65 employees is involved in the event in some way.

On the evening of October 29, the hotel, restaurant and lounge will be filled to capacity with festively dressed partygoers. The party itself is a heady blend of art, music, food and philanthropy.

Guests savor appetizers and delicate desserts as the bartenders keep the drinks flowing. A hush falls over the crowd as over 40 models wearing custom-made bras designed by local artists weave their way through the room. Both the wearable art and the non-wearable art showcased on the walls are part of the highlight of the evening, a vibrant art auction that inspires good-natured bidding wars, introduces the public to new work and earns even more money for the cause. Once every piece has been assigned a new home, the band plays on and the guests dance deep into the night.

Bras on Broadway has raised over $700,000 since its start in 2006 and over $100,000 a year every year since 2011. “It moves you to tears,” said Stoker. “That’s an incredible amount of money.”

The funds are distributed to local residents battling cancer in the form of $200 gas cards, a practical and appreciated form of support for patients who must drive to and from treatment facilities. All of the money raised stays in North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. And Stoker thinks this local focus is a big part of why the event has been such a success.

“It’s a community-driven, community-given event and we are fortunate enough to live in a community where people not only get it, they really embrace it, “ she said. “People understand that if everybody pitches in a little we can change a lot.”

Tickets for Bras on Broadway on October 29 go on sale on September 14. Find more information and donate online at brasonbroadway.com.