In 2010 The Greater Wayne County Links created a biennial signature event,The Pink Ball, to raise awareness and financial support for wellness and disease prevention for Detroit women. The inaugural Pink Ball was held in the beautiful Atrium of Compuware Headquarters in downtown Detroit. The second Pink Ball was held in 2012 at the Marriott Hotel in Detroit’s beautiful Renaissance Center, beginning the evening with a reception in the magnificent Wintergarden, followed by a spectacular dinner celebration. Once again weraised funds to establish effective disease prevention strategies that AfricanAmerican women can learn and use for themselves and their families.
As a result of corporate, foundation, and individual support, The Pink Ballshave been extremely successful, providing over $100,000 to the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. Nearly a thousand women received vital breast and cervical cancer screenings, leading to earlier diagnoses and treatments resulting in positive prognosis, ultimately saving lives.
In addition, we launched SMART STEPS, in partnership with Focus Hope, a health and wellness educational curriculum designed to establish life changing, proactive and positive behavioral strategies that ultimately lead to the development of healthy and empowered women. In the charter program, 100% of the core participants finished the 12 week program with a 0% drop out rate, and 60% of participants reported weight loss and an overall renewed sense of financial confidence!
We also partnered with SAFE (Sisters Acquiring Financial Empowerment) to continue to promote and facilitate programs that support the maintenance of good health and the elimination of chronic health disparities in communities of color through education, health advocacy, and optimal utilization of health resources. Our other community programming in The Arts, InternationalTrends, Health and Human Services, National Trends, and Services to Youth also benefits from funds raised through The Pink Balls.
At The Pink Ball we recognize the contributions of those who work to transform Detroit. In 2012 we honored George N’Namdi, founder of the N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art, Delores Bennett, founder of Adopt-A-Child Christmas event, the Detroit Venture Partners and Peter Karmanos, president of Compuware Corporation. Our 2010 honorees were Danialle Karmanos, founder of the Danialle Karmanos Work It Out Program, and Dr. James Blessman, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor at Wayne State University, Medical Director, City of Detroit and creator of the “12 Steps to Better Health and a Better Community” program.
As the City of Detroit continues to land on the front pages of newspapers across the country as a community that is portrayed as poor, undereducated, illiterate, largely unemployed, violent, uninspired, and facing bankruptcy we believe and envision a much different future. The time is now to provide critical resources that can immediately begin to eradicate years of neglect and negative messaging.
The Greater Wayne County Chapter of Links is committed to helping transform our community, providing women of color with a simple roadmap to achieve success in every area of life including but not limited to health. Our intention for impact is clear and remarkable. As evidenced by our programmatic impact since 2010, we believe that transformation is possible for women and children, our neighborhoods, and ourselves.