Rita Ash, Patty Marschel and Anne Davis, co-chairs of The Middle Tennessee Medical Center Foundation’s Power of Pink Committee, have announced Wine Around The Square, a new fundraising event in downtown Murfreesboro Friday, Sept. 21.  The event features a “progressive” wine tasting and art show to benefit local women’s breast health needs.  Funds raised will be used for mammograms, breast cancer care and education for women in Rutherford County who may be uninsured, underinsured or indigent.

            Wine Around The Square will begin at 6 p.m. with live music, appetizers, an art show and wine-tasting venues throughout downtown Murfreesboro around the historic Public Square.  Visit mtmc.org/powerofpink to purchase your tickets.

            Power of Pink’s inaugural Wine Around The Square promises to be a casual, fun outdoor evening beginning at Pinnacle Financial Partners at 114 West College Street.  Paid guests will check in there, receive a Wine Around the Square etched signature wine glass, enjoy the evening’s first wine tasting, sample passed hors d’oeuvres and receive instructions for the evening.

            Local artist and breast cancer survivor Caryl Witt is chairing the art show, which will feature selections from 10 regional artists for viewing in the Pinnacle lobby. Thirty percent of the proceeds of these art sales will benefit the 2012 Power of Pink.

            Throughout the evening, guests will taste a variety of different wines inside approximately 20 downtown shops, attorneys’ offices and boutiques throughout the central portion of the Square.  Each tasting station will be staffed with volunteers who will describe and pour wine as well as offer a water rinse of the wine glasses before visitors proceed to the next station. Live music will be playing at multiple outdoor venues throughout the evening.

            The seeds of Power of Pink were planted several years ago when founder Patty Marschel's best friend, Susan Loyd, whispered to her the chilling words, "I have breast cancer."  The following year, Patty was asked to chair a golf and tennis tournament to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which ignited her passion to do something to benefit local women.  

            The next year, Rita Ash and Leslie Akins joined Patty to develop a wine and cheese event to help underinsured and underserved women here in Rutherford County.  The Power of Pink program blossomed, and the original group partnered with the MTMC Foundation and Anne Davis in 2010 to increase Power of Pink's reach within the community. 

            Patty's friend Susan has fully recovered from her bout with cancer, but the Power of Pink continues to help more local women every year by providing health information and access to early breast cancer detection in hopes of increasing survival rates.  

            Proceeds of the 2012 Power of Pink Wine Around the Square event will benefit the “Our Mission in Motion” mobile mammography coach, which is operated by St. Thomas Health, Susan G. Komen, and the MTMC Power of Pink. Proceeds also will provide for a portion of a nurse navigator’s salary, and for Rutherford Countians unable to afford their first screening mammogram.

            "The opportunity to help provide cancer screenings and health care for local women is dear to my heart.  I never dreamed that Power of Pink would grow to this level! We are so thankful for our many supporters," co-chair Patty Marschel said.

            “This is the seventh year for Power of Pink’s fundraising work to support women in our community,” said co-chair Rita Ash.  “Last year, we were bursting at the seams at the Michaelson’s home, and we knew we had to grow this event even more to give everybody a chance to participate.  There are so many families that are affected by breast cancer in a mom, wife, aunt, grandmother, sister, daughter or friend.  It really just affects everybody so we want to include everybody this year.  And, it’s going to be a lot of fun!”

            During the last fiscal year, funding in the amount of $46,855 was used for indigent patients’ mammograms and breast cancer care, helping 330 women in Rutherford County. The “Our Mission in Motion” coach visited Rutherford County 11 times and performed 154 mammograms, 40 percent of which were charity care. All of the funds raised at Wine Around The Square will remain in Rutherford County and will help provide breast care for Rutherford County women.

            “Every year, more local women are in need,” said co-chair Anne Davis, MTMC Foundation Senior Development Officer.  “MTMC and the Foundation very much appreciate the hundreds of volunteers and community members who step up to fight the breast cancers that affect our friends and neighbors.  These volunteers’ gifts of time, talent and treasure are making a difference!  Patty, Rita and I hope that even more people will participate this year and enjoy this inaugural event September 21.” 

            Corporate levels of giving are designated on the Power of Pink Web site at mtmc.org/powerofpink.  Corporate donations more than doubled in 2011, and committee members once again will offer this opportunity through a letter mailed to area leaders, businesses and industries July 10.  For more information, please contact Anne Davis at 615.396.4809 or via email at anne.davis@mtmc.org.

            Wine Around the Square will proceed rain or shine.  To ensure a safe ride home, event organizers will alert local cab companies to make cabs available in a central location for those guests who prefer to take a cab home at the end of the evening. 

            Tickets are available online at mtmc.org/powerofpink for $75 per ticket.  The ticket price at the door will be $85 if any tickets remain the day of the event.

            Media sponsors include The Daily News Journal, The Murfreesboro Post, WGNS Radio, Nashville-area Clear Channel radio stations, Murfreesboro Magazine and VIP Murfreesboro.