The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Joplin Metro

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November 1, 2008

In the pink: Postmaster achieves goal

By Greg Grisolano

ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Just last week, Sharon Clark thought she would need a miracle to reach her goal of selling $10,000 worth of breast cancer research stamps.

As of Oct. 26, she had managed to sell just more than $5,000 worth of the stamps — a portion of the profits go to cancer research.

Clark, the postmaster at Carl Junction, had issued an area challenge at the beginning of October, as part of a fund-raiser for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“On Monday, I was just barely halfway there,” said Clark, 51. “I didn’t think I’d make it.”

By Friday, she was within sight of her goal.

“I had an elderly customer say to me (Friday), how much do you need?” she said. “And then she wrote me a check for $172 dollars. She said ‘This community is so happy with what you’re doing.’”

Now members of the community, including the City Council, mayor, police and fire chiefs, as well as the school superintendent, will join Clark by dying their hair pink for the next City Council meeting on Nov. 4.

Carl Junction Mayor Mike Moss, who lost a grandmother to breast cancer, said he is glad to participate.

“It’s a great cause, and anytime I can promote Carl Junction or the breast-cancer-awareness campaign, I’m very supportive of it,” he said.

For the past month, Clark said she has turned the Carl Junction post office into “a pink post office,” adorning it with pink ribbons, pink balloons, pink candles and pink boas. She also has given away several pink items, including emery boards, bagels and even sugar cookies.

“As a cancer survivor, I felt like I needed to do my part,” said Clark, herself having had cervical and breast cancer. “I really get into it because it’s a cause that’s very near and dear to my heart.”

The commemorative stamps cost $11 per sheet, and approximately $2.60 of that money is donated to cancer research.

“I can’t thank my employees and the town of Carl Junction enough. If it wasn’t for my husband and my employees pushing me along, we wouldn’t have made it.”

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