Ridgefield residents can show their support for those affected by breast cancer by purchasing a pink patch from participating local businesses throughout October.
For the seventh consecutive year, the Ridgefield Police Department (RPD) is collaborating with the Pink Lemonade Project, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting and educating those affected by breast cancer. Through the Pink Patch Program, the department is raising both awareness and funds for breast cancer patients and their families.
The Pink Patch Project, a nationwide campaign, aims to increase public awareness about breast cancer and raise funds for research and support services. In Ridgefield, the police department sells 300 collectible pink police patches each year for $10, with all proceeds donated to the Pink Lemonade Project. The local nonprofit provides education, support and empowerment to individuals and families impacted by breast cancer.
The 2024 pink patches are available for purchase at the following Ridgefield locations until the end of October:
• Ridgefield Police Department, 101 Mill St., Suite 110
• Ridgefield Hardware, 104 N. Main Ave.
• Seasons Coffee, 115 N. Main Ave.
• Lava Java, 2 S. 56th Place No. 102
• Brewed Awakenings Ridgefield, 301 S. 47th Ave.
• BevRidge Public, 4315 S. Settler Drive
• Taps Beer Reserve, 201 S. 47th Ave.
Ridgefield Police Chief Cathy Doriot first learned about the Pink Lemonade Project in 2018 after meeting a Portland police officer wearing a pink patch during a 5-kilometer race. She was inspired to launch Ridgefield’s Pink Patch program to educate the community while supporting those impacted by the disease. For Doriot, the cause is personal, as her mother battled breast cancer twice — once during Doriot’s youth and again in her 60s.
“I was pretty young, but I still remember it, and I remember the impact that it had on her and our family. She was a trooper though … and then she went about 20 years in remission, and then she was in her 60s when she was diagnosed again with breast cancer. It actually had metastasized to bone cancer at that time,” Doriot said. “She lived … another 11 years as she fought that, but by that time, I was an adult, so I was much better positioned and more aware of the challenges that she was going through through treatment.”
In 2018, former Ridgefield Police Chief John Brooks gave Doriot the green light to launch the Pink Patch Program. Every year since, Doriot has worked with the city to create a new design for the patches, encouraging collectors to purchase them annually and boosting the funds raised for Pink Lemonade. This year, the patch was designed by Patrick Hildreth, Ridgefield’s contracted brand designer. The patch features a sandhill crane, a nod to the city’s brand. Last year’s patch featured pink camouflage to represent the battle that breast cancer survivors fight.
“If you look at our patches, you can see every year they’re a different shape, and we try really hard to respect the city’s brand. [The badge] typically always has the sandhill crane with the city name, but you’ll notice subtle changes in each of the patches. It’s a little bit of a challenge to come up with something different every year,” Doriot said.
The department expanded the program by adding car stickers featuring pink ribbons, which will be displayed on police and public works vehicles throughout October to raise additional awareness.
“The whole goal is just to get the word out and let those people know that it’s a difficult fight to fight alone. I’ve never had breast cancer, but I can imagine that if I saw a police car rolling down the street and it had a support [sticker] with the [pink] ribbon, I think I would really appreciate that,” Doriot said.
Ridgefield residents have supported the program over the years, with many reaching out to RPD to ensure they can purchase the latest patch. Doriot expressed gratitude for the community’s continued participation.
“We have such an amazing community, and they are so supportive of the police department in our city,” Doriot said. “I just hope and encourage all of them to come out, buy a patch [and] support the program so that we can make sure that we donate a significant amount to [the Pink Lemonade Project] so they can help out all the families that are taking on this fight.”
For more information about Pink Lemonade Project’s services or how to get involved, visit pinklemonadeproject.org.
