October 26, 2017 - Fourteen Panola College cosmetology students and their instructor used their creative talents in a unique way to help promote breast cancer awareness. They competed against other East Texas teams to decorate a bra for display in the Longview Mall on Friday, Oct. 20, as part of the ‘Fit for the Cure,’ an event sponsored by Dillard’s and Wacoal. The Panola College team came home with first prize: a Michael Kors gift basket.
“Winning the gift basket was icing on the cake,” said Bobbie Smith, Panola College cosmetology instructor, who accompanied the students on the day-long field trip.
Dillard’s department store partnered with Wacoal lingerie manufacturer in a promotion that donated $2 to the Susan G. Komen organization for every complimentary bra fitting that day. Another $2 was donated for each bra sold. Dillard’s set up a competition for teams to decorate bras in creative ways. The store provided competing teams with a size 40-C bra to decorate and display that Friday.
“My students got online to look for ideas, pitched in all kinds of decorations, including a lot of costume jewelry. Ashley Crawford was really the main decorator and Destiney Divine came up with the idea to sew on the hands,” Smith said.
The students worked on the display for several days before the event. “Our inspector came in one day, and I could tell he was wondering about the eyeballs hot-glued onto the bra. I started to explain and he said, ‘oh, no need,’ but I said, ‘oh yes, I do need to explain.’ Once I told him the project was to promote breast cancer awareness and our theme was ‘You Can’t Hide from Breast Cancer’, he was so supportive,” Smith added.
Smith had Panola College “You Are Born to Sparkle” T-shirts created for the students to wear that day, and when they arrived at the mall, they promoted the event by encouraging shoppers to stop by Dillard’s for a free fitting and to help raise funds for breast cancer awareness.
“There were several other entries, but everyone commented on ours. They loved the bling.” Smith said.
Participating in the event meant more than just a chance to win the gift basket for Smith and two of the students.
“I have lost an aunt and a close friend to breast cancer,” Smith said. “Two of my other aunts have had mastectomies. One of my students just lost her grandmother to breast cancer, and another has a family member with breast cancer now. We were grateful to have a chance to promote breast cancer awareness.”
Smith said the Panola College Cosmetology Department plans a November raffle for the gift basket items as a fund raiser for the department to assist students with enrichment opportunities.
