Yorkville Businesses ‘Pink Out’ for Breast Cancer Awareness

By [Gavin Aronsen] Yorkville businesses â??pinked out their block with signs, streamers and balloons last weekend to support two walks honoring National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The York Avenue businesses, located between East 83rd and East 84th streets, included Calling All Pets, Charley Mom, Saloon and Yorkville Creperie. Dorian Mecir, who owns Dorian"s Seafood Restaurant on the same block, encouraged them to participate. On Saturday afternoon, Oct. 16, participants in the two-day Avon Walk for Breast Cancer came past the businesses 24 miles into their nearly 40-mile trek and were greeted by a sign reading â??Welcome Wellness Warriors. The sign honored the memory of Mecir"s cousin-in-law, Dr. Lynda Gatto, who died from breast cancer at 36. The American Cancer Society doesn"t recommend regular screenings until the age of 40. Mecir said promoting awareness of the cancer is â??extremely important to raise funds for continued research that could help save its victims. Pauline Gratt, a manager at Calling All Pets, embraced Mecir"s idea because many people know someone who has been afflicted with breast cancer. For Gratt, a co-worker at Calling All Pets" East 76th Street location survived her ordeal. â??We thought it would be fun to support the Avon walkers, Gratt said. â??We see them walking by every year and we clap and support them. The weekend marked the Avon Walk"s sixth year in New York City, according to Mecir. Mecir participated in the five-mile Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk Sunday, Oct. 17, in Central Park with Team Diana's named after a friend"s mother who died of cancer. â??We felt it would be a nice weekend to honor breast cancer survivors and people who have been lost to this disease, Mecir said. Brian McKenna, a manager at Saloon, said his business plans to follow up its support of the walks with a wine tasting sometime in November, the proceeds of which will go toward raising awareness of breast cancer.