SOUTH DEERFIELD — The largest brewery in Western Massachusetts wants you to wear pink and have a drink on Thursday and Friday.
Berkshire Brewing Company (BBC) at 12 Railroad St. will be the site of a fundraiser to mark the end of breast cancer awareness month and usher in November. Fifty percent of sales from BBC’s taproom will be donated to the Baystate Health Foundation to support the D’Amour Center for Cancer Care at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. The taproom is open from 3 to 9 p.m. both days.
The idea came to fruition out of a conversation in the taproom one day. Rita Detweiler and a group of others were standing around talking about how a breast cancer fundraiser would benefit the community and friend Gary Bogoff, founder and owner of BBC, thought it was a great idea and signed on.
“We figured it was a great opportunity to get behind it,” he said, adding that breast cancer “has been plaguing generations of women, and every little bit (of fundraising) helps.”
A flier for the event states there is a “rumor” that “a flock of flamingos” will arrive at BBC around 6 p.m. on Friday. Diane Brzozowski, BBC’s chief financial officer, said she and some others will dress up in pink flamingo costumes.
Detweiler said the idea of charitable pink flamingos was first floated by friend Linda Neil, who died suddenly.
“It was her idea to go as a flock of flamingos for Halloween,” Detweiler said. “It’s a nice way to remember her and her spirit.”
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.