ORLANDO | Libby’s Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation celebrates 10 years of its breast cancer fundraising event, Scooters 4 Hooters, at Wall Street Plaza in downtown Orlando Oct. 21.
Libby’s Legacy was founded in 2007 by Robin Maynard-Harris in honor of her mother, Libby Maynard, who passed away due to Stage IV Breast Cancer. That same year Maynard-Harris launched what would become the organizations signature event, Scooters 4 Hooters.
“When I was younger, like 12 or 13, I was in a mini bike accident and I almost lost my leg. So my mom said, ‘That’s it, no more. You are not to ride on two wheels unless it’s a bicycle,'” Maynard-Harris recalls. “So 23 years later, right before she passed away, I was sitting by her bedside and talking with her and I said, ‘You know mom, life is short and I don’t know if you have a different take on things,’ and before I could even ask the question she said to me, ‘You can get your scooter or motorcycle.'”
Maynard-Harris said to her mother that she was going to create an event that would help raise money in her honor.
“I bought three scooters and a Harley-Davidson right after she passed away,” she says. “I thought we are going to do a scooter ride because I have a scooter now and she gave me her permission, so Scooters 4 Hooters just made sense to me.”
The event’s name caused uneasiness for some. Maynard-Harris calls Scooters 4 Hooters an “underground charity” since marketing the event is mostly through word of mouth since many media outlets won’t advertise an event with the word Hooters in it.
“It’s to risqué so some stations won’t run ads for it on TV,” Maynard-Harris says. “I don’t get that but that’s ok because we have such a great underground group of people who help us. We have raised over $35,000 this year so far in online fundraising.”
Over the last nine years of the event, Scooters 4 Hooters has raised over $800,000, all going to help the local community.
“Libby’s Legacy provides mammograms and free breast health services to the underserved, but not just the underserved. Just because you have health insurance and money doesn’t mean you automatically know how to navigate breast cancer,” Maynard-Harris says. “We help navigate and advocate for anyone diagnosed, and go with them to their appointments and take notes.”
Scooters 4 Hooters kicks off at noon on Saturday with a 22-mile scooter ride through Orlando.
“We are escorted, the escorts have pink shirts on and they are on their motorcycles, for the ride and we’ll go for about 45 minutes through Winter Park, College Park, Thornton Park and then back to Wall Street Plaza,” Maynard-Harris says. “Then we do survivor tributes and we give roses to our survivors and do a fun song with them. That’s why we’re there, for them.”
The event will also feature a live music concert by the bands Silkee Smoove and Hot Pink.
“You don’t have to have a scooter to come celebrate with us,” Maynard-Harris says. “We will have a Tito’s VIP lounge, a silent auction, there is going to be a big pink chair you can take pictures with. It’s just a celebration of life and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Libby’s Legacy will be raffling off a scooter at the end of the event as well to help you get ready for next year’s ride if you don’t already have one.
Ahead of the Scooters 4 Hooters event downtown, the City of Winter Park will host Pink Bash, an event produced by the Orlando Sentinel Media Group, tonight, Oct. 20 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at West Meadow of Central Park.
The annual community celebration will feature a breast cancer survivors fashion show, live music by Vintage Vinyl Band, signature cocktails and gourmet food. While this is not an official Libby’s Legacy event, a portion of the event proceeds will benefit it.
General admission to Pink Bash is $20 in advance and $30 at the door. Tickets may be purchased at OrlandoSentinel.com/PinkBash. Use promo code PINK for $5 off advance ticket purchases.
For more information on Libby’s Legacy visit LibbysLegacy.org.
