Once again, the Crosby community rallied their overwhelming generosity supporting Bras for the Cause’s 9th Annual event on February 1. The Bras for the Cause Committee is part of the Crosby Fair and Rodeo’s Tough Enough to Wear Pink (TETWP). Preliminary reports show over $180,000 was raised at the 9th annual event held at Southern Lace Estates. The Bras for the Cause committee believes that all cancers matter and “Together We Can Make a Difference.” To show that all cancers matter, Southern Lace Estates was decorated with all the cancer awareness colors throughout the room. The ladies of the BFC committee wore colored scarfs to represent a cancer that touched their lives.
Before over 500 guests, 21 male celebrity models danced in the annual “fashion show”, modeling bras of varied themes; Astros favorite, Jose Altuve A.K.A. Jason McWhorter. Crosby Applebees manager, Justin Whittredge stepped on stage as Genie from Aladdin complete with magic lamp. Returning for the second year was Crosby’s own J.R. Towles. This year our former hometown Astro decided he wasn’t going to “Take no bull from cancer,” so he dressed as a bull rider complete with a barrel. New was hometown favorite ball player, Hunter Hearn, drafted by the Phillies last year and a “hit” dressed in gear. Another newbie, Cullen Lee strutted as a peacock shaking feathers. Right off the floor, he was already looking forward to next year. Ending the night, were two favorites and big money makers, Jacob Schexnayder wearing his Fiesta Donkey and his cousin Teaque Scexnayder who Yabbadabbadood the crowd with his Fred Flinstone theme. Teaque’s bra was auctioned off for $30,000 and Jacob’s for $23,000. The total for the live auction was $118,000 thanks to all of our models. These models, with John Baptiste, Jesse Sorrells, Trevor Zuniga, Herman Eagleton, Aubrey Larkin, Shaun Manuel, Jay Beasley, Jeremiah Price, Troy Barringer, Bob Ellender, Chad Ferguson, Chris Noldan, David Mendez, and Jeffrey Sparks brought in a record breaking $6,000 in tips alone! Indicating how every dollar adds up. Tipping models Saturday, made one part of this success.
Guest speaker David Mendez spoke of a local patient helped by BFC funds, stressing how important funds from this single event are and benefit people with cancer. Second speaker Melissa Owen, a teacher at Barrett Elementary, bravely told of her journey with cancer and how the funds made a life difference. The BFC Committee all took the stage to donate gift cards to the Methodist Cancer Center and The Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Alliance.