The Weekend Oak Island Turned Pink
Good morning, friends. If you were on the island last week, you saw it. Oak Island went pink.
Pledge the Pink came back to town October 15 through 18. If you've never heard of it, here's the short version. It's a three-day, 30-mile walk that raises money for breast cancer screening, treatment, and research. Ten miles a day, on a different course each day. Walk it, run it, or crawl it. Just about every inch of this island got covered.
And then there were the flamingos.
A world record, staked out by hand
On Monday, October 12, before the walkers even checked in, 7,654 pink plastic flamingos went into the ground at Middleton Park. The line stretched 2,954 feet. A Guinness World Records adjudicator was there to make it official.
That's the new record for the longest line of garden flamingos. The old record was 4,280, held by a group in Buffalo, New York. Pledge the Pink and Buffalo have traded this record back and forth since 2016. This year, Oak Island took it back. Sorry, Buffalo. Bring more birds.
Each flamingo stands for a $100 donation. So that line wasn't just fun to look at. It was a whole lot of mammograms.
How the weekend played out
Middleton Park was home base all weekend, with food trucks and after-parties every day.
Thursday: packet pickup and the welcome party.
Friday: 10 miles, the after-party, then bingo night.
Saturday: 10 more miles, the golf cart decorating contest and parade, and PJ karaoke to close out the night.
Sunday: a sunrise start on the beach for the final 10, then the farewell party.
Since it started, Pledge the Pink has raised more than $7 million. This year's goal was $1 million.
Why this one matters to me
I don't usually get personal on here. But cancer took my sister, Christin, in 2024. Watching people walk 30 miles for someone they love hits a little different now. I won't make a big speech about it. Thank you to every walker and every volunteer who showed up for this island and for each other.
Mark your calendar for next October
Pledge the Pink 2027 is October 14 through 17, with a welcome party on Wednesday, October 13. Next year's theme is country, so dust off the boots.
The organizers tell walkers to stay as close to Middleton Park as they can, and to book through Monday so they're not rushing out after the farewell party. That's good advice. Plan early.
Coming to walk, cheer, or just see the flamingos? Check out our rentals at www.shoremoregetaways.com.
If you own a rental on Oak Island
Quick one for the homeowners. Weekends like this are where a rental calendar earns its keep. If your minimum stay, your price, and your listing didn't know Pledge the Pink was coming, you left money on the table.
Want a second set of eyes on yours before next year? Text me the address. I'll have a free rental projection back to you in 24 hours.
910-218-1433 | dawn@ShoreMoreGetaways.com
Thank you, Oak Island, for showing up the way you always do. See you on the beach.
Dawn
Shore & More Getaways | Hospitality that actually feels like it.
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