When thinking of October, the color pink should immediately come to mind. Why? It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

This year, the female sorority at PAHS, Alpha Iota Delta (AID), has been raising money and selling balloons for two weeks in October. The balloons were released during the home football game October 21 against Jim Thorpe.

Each balloon cost two dollars and could be purchased in memory of someone who passed away from or in honor of someone who is currently fighting cancer or someone who survived cancer.

“The idea is that when the balloon is let go, you think of the person you placed on the balloon. It’s supposed to memorialize those who have cancer,” junior Hannah Joyce said.

Miss Meredith Coleman, AID advisor, said junior Hannah Joyce came up with the idea.

“She was really the ringleader of everything,” Miss Coleman said.

Joyce announced her idea at a club meeting, and then went ahead and got approval from Ms. Tiffany Reedy, principal, the school board and city council.

“I wanted to do something different,” Joyce said.

Balloons were not only being sold in the main office and homeroom during school hours, but they were also available for the public to purchase. The girls sold them after school hours from 3-5 p.m. at the main doors of the high school. They also did a tag day at Wal-Mart in St. Clair October 16.

Overall, the club believes this event, along with the entire pink theme for the football game on Friday, will raise awareness for the cause.

“I think this will raise a lot of awareness because a lot of people are affected by cancer, whether they have the disease or they know someone who has the disease,” senior Becca Sites, club president, said. “I think a lot of people will buy balloons or donate money to support the cause.”

The club publicized the event by putting it on the school announcements and posting it on social media and in the community.

“We’ve been posting signs in the community, and we have a really good following from our football team.” Miss Coleman said. “By doing it [the release] at such a public event, it will be really helpful and beneficial for breast cancer awareness.”

All of the money raised by the selling of balloons and donations will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.