Gather your sisters--female relatives and friends--for a girls' day out with a mission! Join a walk or run, hand out the water for others or just be there afterward at the race's end to celebrate a powerful pink ribbon partnership to raise awareness and funding for breast cancer research. Although October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, May celebrates Mother's Day, another perfect time to focus on the health of moms and other women in your life.

If races aren't your interest, you have lots of other options. Gather friends to plan a future fund-raiser. Or form a powerful pink club ready to help a sister, raise funds for research, promote buddy checks or sponsor a women's health fair. Rally and respond to this sisterly need!

Strawberry and Cream Cupcakes

Pink Ribbons In Support of Breast Cancer Menu Strawberry Smoothie Country Eggs in Tortilla Cups or Sausage, Vegetable and Cheese Strata Easy Fresh-Fruit Salad Banana Bread Strawberry and Cream Cupcakes Herbal tea* Bottled water* * Recipe is not included

Make It Special!
 
Pink-Ribboned Invitations

• Invite a group of women friends and relatives with a pink-ribboned card. If your goal is to reach more women, ask invitees to pass their cards on to a certain number of friends to create the size group you want. The invitation should include the time, place and activity.  Include a sentence asking guests to come prepared to share a story, perhaps about a survivor or a personal experience with any kind of cancer. You can do the same inviting using email.

Passionate Pink Decorations
 
The color theme of this gathering is pink:

• Pink-ribboned name tags can be available for arriving guests.

• Pink soap and towels can adorn the bathroom.

• Pink lights can add glow to rooms. Look for strings of decorator lights at a party store.

• Pink cloths can drape tables (use pink sheets or fabric if necessary).

• Pink-flowering potted plants or pink cut flowers in vases can be scattered in the gathering area.

• Pink balloons can be grouped and tied with ribbons.

• Send guests home with a pink balloon or cut flower as a wonderful memory of your special get-together!

Pink-Powered Activities

• Ask everyone to share a story. You and several others may need to be prepared to start this activity. Stories could be about a guest's own survival or that of someone close, or stories could be about someone currently struggling with cancer who needs emotional support. Click here to check out stories shared by others.
• Plan a walk or run to raise funds for breast cancer awareness or research. Visit www.raceforthecure.com to find out how to join in a walk or run in your area.
• Ask guests to read poems or encouraging words they've used for strength during difficult times. Share helpful books, both inspirational and practical. A food-related resource is the recently published Betty Crocker's Living with Cancer Cookbook. Click here to read more about it.

 
In-the-Pink Food Buffet

• Set up a make-your-own smoothie bar, following the tip in the Strawberry Smoothie recipe. Place all the ingredients on crushed ice in bowls or other containers, along with fresh fruit garnishes, and have several blenders available. A pitcher or two of preblended smoothies could be ready for immediate enjoyment.
• Set up the remaining menu buffet style for easy serving. The lettuce, mixed fruit, dressing and choice of cheese for Easy Fresh-Fruit Salad can
  be offered in separate serving dishes. Set out Country Eggs in Tortilla Cups on warming trays, with sour cream and salsa for guests to add as desired.
• Offer a selection of soothing fragrant herbal teas and provide pots of hot water along with appropriate go-withs such as lemon wedges, honey, cream and sugar.

 
Preparation Guide

Up to 2 Months Before

• Bake Irresistible Banana Bread (lighter recipe); cool completely, slice and store tightly covered in freezer.

 
The Day Before

• Prepare fruits for Easy Fresh-Fruit Salad; store covered in refrigerator. Wash lettuce and store separately, tightly covered, in refrigerator.
• Bake tortilla cups for Country Eggs in Tortilla Cups.
• Make Sausage, Vegetable and Cheese Strata; cover and refrigerate.
• Bake Strawberry and Cream Cupcakes; store loosely covered.

 
About 1 1/2 Hours Before Serving

• Bake Sausage, Vegetable and Cheese Strata.

 
About 1 Hour Before Serving

• Make one or two pitchers of Strawberry Smoothie; you will need to scale the recipe.

 
About 15 Minutes Before Serving

• Make eggs for Country Eggs in Tortilla Cups; spoon into tortilla cups and keep warm in oven on very low heat. Or keep tortilla cups warm in oven, and serve eggs and toppers buffet style.

When Guests Arrive

• Lead them to the smoothie bar, and then mingle and make smoothies!