A TOWERING EFFORT
Backed by the community, a beloved South Bay landmark will
be pretty in pink for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
WRITTEN BY WENDY BOWMAN
n honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, each October many
wear pink ribbons to show their support and organizations solicit money for
breast cancer research, while landmarks from the White House to the pylons
at LAX are swathed in pink lights at sunset. •is year, on Oct. 5, an El Segundo
Realtor and philanthropist is embarking on a first-of-its-kind fund-raising
endeavor more than befitting of his coastal surroundings by inviting SoCal
residents to grab their paint brushes from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and help temporarily
transform the iconic Tower60 lifeguard station—a symbol of hope and helpful-
ness—from basic blue to vibrant pink.
"I came up with the idea of painting the El Segundo Lifeguard Tower pink in Jan-
uary of this year a'er several conversations I had with friends and clients who
were going through the life-changing events of dealing with cancer," says Alex
Abad of Alex Abad Real Estate Group, who is spearheading the Paint it Pink effort
on behalf of his agency's Tower60 Foundation, which is focused solely on giving
back and creating goodwill. "•is is important to me as well, because years ago
I experienced the loss of my own dad to lung cancer at an early age, so I under-
stand the pain and challenges of those who find themselves in this situation in
one way or another."
A starting donation of $1 is required to secure a spot to help paint Tower60 pink,
with Abad's goal to raise $50,000 for breast cancer awareness and prevention—
all the while bringing together members of the communiœ at a unique event
and giving them a chance to express themselves in a different way of giving. All
proceeds will go to California's Ciœ of Hope National Medical Center, which is rec-
ognized as the leading nonprofit clinical research center and hospital in the West.
"With regards to making Paint it Pink an annual event, it will depend on the out-
come of this first event," says Abad. "I definitely will continue to use the official
Tower60 Foundation for a force of goodwill."
To register or donate for the Paint it Pink event, visit tower60.com/paint-it-pink.
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