The theme for First Friday was Mission Pink. Traci Griffen and Mandi Sue Latham talked about the opening of their new store Ginx during the event. The store is located at 128 Cotton Avenue and is open Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They have eighteen different vendors as well as merchandise of their own. They talked about the impetus for their store.
“Mandi was in a smaller area and she asked me about going in with her. We talked about it, we decided we would like to get a bigger store because we like to carry vendors. We decided if we were going to have vendors, we would need a bigger place and I decided I would distress the furniture. We went in together so we could do both.”
Griffen mentioned what it took to be a vendor.
“We actually got a waiting list. They can just give us a call and if we have an opening, the prices vary depending on what size space you are looking for.”
Griffin talked about the image of a pink ribbon each sported.
“We decided that we would support breast cancer. I have a daughter that has cancer. Mandi has gone through cancer.”
“My sister had breast cancer as well.” Latham added.
They stated that they were donating ten percent of their sales that night to Pheobe oncology.
Several were gathered in Rylander Park. Carlyle Walton, CEO of Phoebe-Sumter, gave a statement.
“It’s October. It’s breast cancer awareness month. We are just delighted to partner with the city, and the city has decided to call it mission pink, and they’ll be celebrating alongside us as we continue to try to win the battle over breast cancer.”
A bouncy house was set up on one side, two food trucks along the street on the other. A stage was set up in the center with a singer and a guitarist, the Bozwellz from Macon Georgia, who played a Fleetwood Mac song and one by Amy Winehouse. A couple of young girls practiced cartwheels by the bouncy house as the music played.
I talked with Mary Gaultney who had a booth at the park.
“We’re with the Sumter County Health department. We had a booth out here with everybody, just giving out free things to help.”
The booth advertised a free program so that people can come in and get a mammogram at no charge to the patient if they lacked insurance. Several other booths lined the sides early in the evening with similar themes.