Traveling Pig Helps Raise Money For American Cancer Society
Dexter Relay for Life organizers get creative with a new fundraiser.
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You may have heard of the game Pass the Pigs by Winning Moves Games. Now Dexter has its own live version.
Orville, as his owners call him, a big white piggy bank, is traveling through Dexter for 13 weeks, collecting donations for Dexter’s Relay for Life on May 14-15 at Monument Park.
The idea of a traveling piggy bank is the brainchild of Rachel Wilkinson, wellness center manager at Dexter Pharmacy.
“Every year, my sister and I give each other an ugly gift for Christmas,” Wilkinson said. “I didn’t know what to do with the piggy bank, and when I started getting involved with the relay planning committee, a light bulb went off in my head. Why not use the pig to collect donations for the American Cancer Society?”
Wilkinson said Orville weighs about 17 pounds and is the size of two basketballs. Every week it will be placed in a different business with a sign asking for people to donate their change.
“It’s received a lot of attention already,” she said. “We had it in the pharmacy last week, and a little kid wanted to give it a Valentine.”
This past week, Orville was displayed in the window at Dexter Collision.
“All the businesses we approached agreed to participate. They don’t know when the pig is coming, which is part of the fun," she said.
Orville will continue his tour at Dexter Bakery, Classic Pizza, Dexter Jazzercise, Hackney Hardware, Hazel's Home Cookin', Katie’s Pub, Mark's Auto, The Parts Peddler and Reed Barber Shop.
Scott Sinibaldi of Mark's Auto said the business is always willing to work with community organizations.
"It's for a good cause, and the pharmacy is a good client of ours," he said.
Wilkinson said she hopes Orville will eventually become the unofficial mascot for the Dexter Relay.
“Next year, I’d like to start passing him around earlier,” she said, adding that it would be fun to have businesses decorate the pig for major holidays, such as St. Patrick’s Day or Christmas.
For more information, visit the Dexter Relay for Life website.
In This article
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Dexter Bakery
8101 Main St, Dexter, MI -
Classic Pizza
8015 Huron St, Dexter, MI -
Jazzercise Dexter Fitness Center
8007 Main St, Dexter, MI -
Hackney Ace Hardware
8105 Main St, Dexter, MI -
Hazel's Home Cookin'
8050 Main St, Dexter, MI
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Katie's Food & Spirits
2830 Baker Rd, Dexter, MI -
Schwalbach's Auto
8080 Grand St, Dexter, MI -
The Parts Peddler
2902 Baker Rd, Dexter, MI -
Reed Barbering
8003 Main St, Dexter, MI
