Chief David J. Clark is pleased to announce that the Reading Police Department will be showing support for Breast Cancer Awareness by wearing pink badges and patches throughout October.
Uniformed officers, plainclothes officers, and detectives will wear bright pink badges during October, rather than the traditional department badge. Public safety dispatchers will wear special shirts to show their support, and uniformed officers will wear the pink badge and a special pink shoulder patch. Civilian staff also will be wearing shirts displaying the pink badge.
In addition to raising awareness, the effort is also a fundraiser. Community members may purchase the special pink patch with a recommended donation of $10. All proceeds will go to the Tanner Ta Ta Foundation, which serves Middlesex County and has supported numerous Reading families since it was founded in 2009.
To purchase a commemorative patch, checks may be made out to the Tanner Ta Ta Foundation and sent to the Reading Police Department, 15 Union St., Reading, MA 01867 (attn: Community Service Officer Kristen O’Shaughnessy). Those requesting patches should also include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
The Tanner Ta Ta Foundation offers targeted personal support and services to those experiencing a breast cancer diagnosis, including providing meals, gift cards, literature for family members, clothing, personal care items, emotional support and more.
The Foundation also offers a healthy survivor program, which reimburses survivors $200 a year for costs related to gym memberships, fitness trackers, yoga classes, online fitness programming, massage therapy, and more.