Gaggles of grannies gathered on Park Street on International Women’s Day, March 8, for GrannyCon, a fundraiser for breast cancer prevention. In caftans and curlers, hats and hosiery, cardigans and kerchiefs, participants dressed in honor of their grandmothers or future granny selves.
They enjoyed a scavenger hunt at local businesses, an afterparty at Pho Nation, and a costume contest with distinguished judges, including Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft. Proceeds supported local nonprofit Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP), aiming, as organizer Laura Dobbs Gillan said, to ensure that “every woman thrives into her golden years.”
How it began
GrannyCon came about because Gillan, an Alameda resident and Senior Program and Policy Manager at BCPP, had a daunting work assignment: raise her share of her work group’s $150,000 fund-raising goal however she could.
She turned to her mother’s group, the 2020 Alameda Mamas, for brainstorming support because if anyone understands being resourceful under stress, it’s moms who bonded over the shared experience of giving birth at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have had each other’s backs for five years, and she knew this close-knit group would have passion and empathy for the cause — four of the mothers have been diagnosed with and are fighting breast cancer.
Gillan and fellow mother Sarah Grausz met at the Forbidden Island tiki bar to review ideas. By far, the silliest and most outrageous was GrannyCon. The more they talked about it, the more excited they became. They ran the idea by Forbidden Island bartenders, who joined in their enthusiasm. Gillan said, “They went through the roof, saying, ‘This has to happen!’”
As one does at Forbidden Island, Gillan and Grausz enshrined the moment by writing, “Granny slaps!” on a dollar bill and sticking it to the ceiling.
The 2020 Alameda Mamas were enthusiastic about supporting the project. Group member Hilary Swanson effused, “(Laura) is exactly what we need in this community. She saw our talents, organized us, then set us free.”
Gillan said, “We wanted to celebrate the women who came before us who paved the way. And we wanted to protect future generations.” Notably, breast cancer rates have steadily increased since 1950, particularly affecting younger women.
A meaningful event
On Saturday, as ebullient, granny-fashioned participants registered for the event in Julie’s Coffee and Tea Garden parklet, fellow organizer Kate Fayngersh exclaimed with wonder, “This is happening! Everyone looks amazing!”
While some participants sourced wigs from Alameda Wigs and costumes from Savers thrift shop or Amazon, many chose family mementos. Lisa Winner, whose photography business sponsored a raffle prize, carried her father’s cane. Breast cancer survivor Andrea C. wore her mother’s bead necklace. She said, “This time last year, I was undergoing a double mastectomy and radiation therapy. It’s meaningful to me to be here supporting BCPP and their work.”
Participants received bingo cards with clues that led them to Park Street businesses, where they completed fun activities in exchange for stickers to fill up the card. Completed cards were traded for raffle tickets.
Activities included walking like a grandma while carrying a spoonful of jello at Daisy’s Mercantile, posing for pictures with firefighters at the Park Street Fire Station, pretending to knit with giant knitting needles at Mommy’s Trading Post, and trying on a rainbow wig at Alameda Wigs.
To Herb With Love gave participants custom-scented bath salts. At Star Pizza, they took pictures of themselves pretending to break into the bank vault. All along Park Street, groups of granny friends enjoyed themselves, showing off their fabulous fashions, being silly, and supporting a good cause.
Gillan said community support blew her away. More than forty local businesses contributed by being a clue venue or sponsor, and Alameda and San Leandro High School Key Club members volunteered.
Katherine Hoffert, co-owner of Rocket Reuse, a clue venue, noted that her sister had recently undergone a double mastectomy in her fight against cancer. “I loved the idea of grannies taking over Park Street and raising awareness for the importance of early cancer detection,” she said.
The afterparty
Champagne flowed, disco music thumped, and the energy rose as participants poured into Pho Nation for the afterparty sponsored by Diamond Auto Sales and permanent makeup artist Diana Dimant. Participant Mercedes M., a breast cancer survivor, commented, “It’s great to see that so many people care about what I have been through and how to prevent this. It’s touching because I don’t have my family here, so it feels comforting.”
When the emcee announced a costume contest, a raucous procession of shimmying, dancing, and whooping grannies paraded before a panel of judges, including Mayor Ashcraft, Karibu Wine Lounge founder Chris Wachira, and Dr. Jasmine Pedroso, a gynecologic surgeon with Kindbody. A couple dressed as Carl and Ellie Fredericksen from the animated movie Up took the top prize.
“You are all already winners by being here,” Mayor Ashcraft said, “and I am so inspired by the organizers.” Noting that her sister is a survivor, she added, “There is not a family who is not affected by breast cancer. We need more research, not less.”
Keynote speaker Janet Nudelman, BCPP’s Senior Director of Program and Policy, drove home the reason everyone was gathered. She noted that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and only 10% of breast cancers are genetic. She said 90% are influenced by environmental factors, including chemicals in personal care and household products that mimic estrogen.
She encouraged support of BCPP’s advocacy for removing harmful chemicals from products, noting BCPP’s track record of passing 20 health protective laws at the state and federal levels.
Results and what’s next
Near the end of the event, the 2020 Alameda Mamas took the stage for a photo opportunity. To general cheering, Gillan said, “This needs to happen again! It is truly a community event tonight, and your presence is moving the needle for breast cancer prevention.” Gillan reports that the event raised over $7,000, and a generous match will raise the total to over $14,000.
She hopes to repeat the event next year: “This is just the start of something big.”
Other event sponsors not previously named here include: Alameda Theatre, Tucker’s Ice Cream, All Good Living, Park Social, Town Tavern, Books, Inc., Hobnob, See Spot Run, Cultivate Together Psychology, The Iron Mat, The Local, One Huddle, Live Simply Surf, Premier Nanny Source, Saltbreaker, The Sewing Room, Yoga Amansala, Arielle Crenshaw Art Direction + Design, SpeedPro East Bay, Swings & Wings, Needles & Tea, The Massage Clinic, and Witchwell.
Contributing writer Karin K. Jensen covers boards and commissions for the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at https://linktr.ee/karinkjensen and https://alamedapost.com/Karin-K-Jensen.
