Buffalo Grove Days are a Chicago-area summer tradition that typically kick off with a charity softball game the week before Labor Day. This year is no exception, but now a new addition is parked just off the field: a fleet of pink fire trucks.
The four trucks are part of the Pink Heals Tour, an initiative dedicated to raising awareness about cancers that affect women. The trucks, driven by a team of volunteer firefighters from across the country, began traveling in mid-August and will continue their journey until the end of October.
Buffalo Grove Fire Chief Terry Vavra said he has been in contact with Dave Graybill, the Arizona firefighter who started the program.
"The reason why he started this is that as men we need to respond to the people that mean the most to us, our families and particularly our mothers, because if you ever watched a sports player, he doesn’t say, ‘Hi, Dad.’ He says, ‘Hi, Mom,’" Vavra told the Daily Herald.
Buffalo Grove Trustee and cancer survivor DeAnn Glover, liaison to the committee in charge of Buffalo Grove Days, added that the trucks are meant to be an interactive and inspiring way to learn about how individuals can get involved in the fight against cancer.
"Kids can climb on them, and everybody can sign and leave a message of hope and honor for those who are fighting the battle or those who have lost the fight," she said.
The initiative isn’t restricted to women. Graybill has also discussed the creation of a Blue Heals program, which would use blue firetrucks to raise awareness about men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer.
Pink Heals also sells t-shirts, bags and other accessories to help raise money for the battle against cancer.

