The votes are in! The cover photo for Rapides Cancer Center’s first “Real Men Wear Pink” calendar will feature members of the Alexandria Police Department and Rapides Sheriff’s Department SWAT team, along with K-9 officer Zarek Whitstine.  “The community response was overwhelming,” said Charla Ducote, Vice President of Marketing, Public Relations and Business Development. “The SWAT team photo received 691 votes. Every other photo received 200 votes or more.”

Voting took place at www.rapidesregional.com from September 4th through September 16th. Members of the community were invited to vote for their favorite photos featuring local football teams, businessmen, firemen, nurses, physicians, SWAT team members and media personalities. Each photo will have a place in the 2012 Real Men Wear Pink Calendar, but the winning photo gets the calendar cover.

Calendars will go on sale in October at Atwood’s Bakery, Spirit’s and Mary Ann’s Flower and Gift Shop located at Rapides Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Calendars are $10.00 and can be paid for with cash or checks made out to Susan G. Komen.  “When most people think of breast cancer, they think of women,” Ducote said. “But for every woman affected by the disease, there’s a husband, son, father or loved one who is also affected by the diagnosis. Our ‘Real Men Wear Pink’ calendar is our way of giving those men a chance to show that they support the women they love, and who love them. It also gives us a chance to increase our community’s breast cancer awareness.”

“Susan G. Komen came into Central Louisiana last year and made such an impact,” Ducote said. “People were overwhelmingly enthusiastic in their support for the event and the cause. And we wanted to play an even bigger role in that this year. With our calendar, the community gets a chance to play an even bigger role, too.”

For more information, or to suggest someone for next year’s Real Men Wear Pink calendar, visit www.rapidesregional.com or call (318) 769-3135.