While Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close at the end of this week, the race to raise both funds and awareness is still going strong, with events winding down this last week and more planned for November. From walks to races, and from shows to sales, individuals and businesses alike are working together, well past the last official day of the recognized time-frame in a collaborative fight against this invasive disease that knows no strangers.

In Jackie Longoria’s women’s clothing store, Off the Rack, 200 E. Choctaw, anyone who tried on a pair of Tummy Tuck jeans during the month of October earned a dollar for the Susan G. Komen Foundation to put towards breast cancer research.

“We’ve raised a little more than $100 here, and it’s not just our store,” Longoria explained Saturday morning as she opened her store. “It’s happening anywhere that Tummy Tuck jeans are sold. My store carries them exclusively in McAlester, but I have a competition with a store in Tulsa that carries them.”

The jeans have steadily gained popularity, due to the patent-pending front panel that lends them their name.

“They are so popular they have developed quite a following, almost like a cult,” Longoria said. “They’re one of Oprah’s favorites. She likes them so much they named a style after her.”

Tummy Tuck popularity and ensuing sales inspired Not Your Daughter’s Jeans, the company that manufactures Tummy Tuck Jeans, to announce a minimum donation of $500,000 to the cause.

“Anytime we can do our part, that’s what we do,” Longoria said.

Meanwhile, a few blocks west and across the street, at Kristin Lloyd’s Studio 23, more efforts to contribute to the cause were under way Saturday with the Art for the Cure art show and auction, whose proceeds are headed for the Susan G. Komen Foundation in the name of Stephanie Lenington.

Lenington, McAlester, has partnered with Lloyd to raise the $2,300 she needs to be able to participate in the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk to be held in Dallas, Texas, Nov. 6-8. The Dallas event is the 13th in a 15-event series raising money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

“Stephanie’s doing the walk, and we’re doing the art show to help her raise the money she needs to go,” Lloyd said. “She’s been working to raise the money for the past six months.”

Up to Saturday’s show, Lenington and her friends had raised $1,800, leaving $500 more needed. Lloyd and several other area artists, including breast cancer survivor Pam Kirby, donated pieces to be sold through the art show and through a silent auction held in conjunction with the show. Lenington has until Nov. 5 to raise the $2,300 each participant must have to be eligible to walk.

“I am walking with my friend, Amy Middleton. We’ll walk 60 miles over the three days, 20 miles a day,” Lenington said. “And we’ll be sleeping in a tent for two nights, roughing it, with nothing that plugs in,” she added with a grin.

“The walk provides the tents. There will be hundreds of little pink tents, and thousands of people walking,” she said of participants who will make their way through Dallas and two other routes nearby.

“About 10 years ago, a very good friend was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Lenington said quietly. “She survived and she’s doing well. But now, just a few months ago, another friend was diagnosed.

“There are just so many women that have it. We wanted to do it so that some day,” she halted, waiting for the unexpected wave of emotion to pass. “So that some day our daughters won’t have to walk.”

Nov. 14 there’s a race of a different kind, but the goal is the same — to raise money and awareness to fight breast cancer.

McAlester Regional Health Center has teamed up for the past few years with the Lightning C Arena to put on the Barrel Race Against Breast Cancer, an event that has grown by leaps and bounds with each year.

“Proceeds from the event provide funds for mammograms and breast cancer treatment,” said Dana Hugle, event chair. “The last race drew nearly 300 barrel racers and raised approximately $10,000.”

The barrel race will include events within the event, so to speak, as sponsors and donors provide incentives to encourage participants, their families, and the community to give more than just entry fees.

Donors can help by pledging at least a dollar donation for every rider wearing pink during a run, they can donate door prizes, services, such as making a sign or painting a barrel, or volunteer the day of the event.

Event schedule includes a youth class for entries 12 years old and younger, a special tribute between the youth and open classes, and educational booths with items providing awareness, and more.

For more information on the Barrel Race Against Breast Cancer, contact Dana Hugle by calling 918-421-8626 or via email at dhugle@mrhcok.com.