In October, Venice wears pink. 

This month, the Venice community has recognized Breast Cancer Awareness Month through Pink Out events. 

Venice students started the Pink Out tradition ten years ago. Sports medicine teacher Kirsten Farrell said Pink Out has changed the month of October here at Venice. 

“We had some football players that were injured, and they were at a Saturday injury clinic,” Farrell said. “Larry Clark and Tim Geiger were two members of the Venice High School football team, and they asked if there was a way that we could honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so I brought it back to the Sports Med team and the administration on Monday,” she said.

“And by that Friday, Pink Out was born.”

The month of October is International Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is an annual campaign made to raise global awareness of breast cancer and its impacts as well as raise money to go towards research and support.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer impacting women worldwide. The pink ribbon is a worldwide symbol connected to Breast Cancer Awareness. The pink is worn to show support towards women suffering from this type of cancer. 

The first years of Pink Out involved the football team and the Sports Med team, Farrell said. Eventually, Pink Out expanded to band and volleyball as well.

“Being on the sports medicine team is an act of service, because we’re taking care of the other athletes, figuring out other ways to give back,” she said. “In the fall, we will always try to get back to breast cancer awareness in some way, shape, or form.”

Venice High gathers money from the Pink Out events throughout the month and donates it to different breast cancer organizations.

“Sometimes it’s a small homegrown group in Inglewood we gave to for a couple of years this year because of COVID and everything that’s going on we felt it was just easier to give to a known organization, and make a donation. 

Pink Out events this month have included the Pink Out Football Game held on October 1st and today’s Volleyball game. On Wednesdays, We Wear Pink.  

Pink Out has been a success this year, Farrell said. 

“Considering we’ve been out of school for a year, and this is our first Pink Out back, I really appreciate the amount of effort and participation that students have been giving this year,” she said. “It was really awesome to see the kids get involved, especially because we’ve been apart for so long.”

Farrell said that Pink Out has a special place in Venice High’s heart. 

“Whether it be breast cancer or autism or colon cancer, it’s important to find ways to give back and really learn that we’re all connected in some way, shape, or form,” she said. “We kind of just rolled with that tradition.

“We’ve also had teachers and staff members on campus fight breast cancer. So I think that it’s a little bit more personal for us as well.”