Red Deerians were not imagining weird random things while driving over the Gaetz Ave North Bridge at around 10 a.m. Thursday morning.

Yes they saw bras. Lots and lots of them. Even hundreds. They were clipped together and strung across the entire length of the bridge.

But it was all for a great cause.

Staff at 100.7 FM The RIVER, which became the City’s newest radio station when launched last August, came up with the idea to raise awareness and money for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is being recognized in October across Canada.

“We wanted to do something a little different to raise awareness for breast cancer, and we decided to do a campaign called Bras Across the River,” said Vinnie Taylor, morning co-host at The RIVER. “We turned to our audience and said, ‘Listen, we need you to donate your unused bras and what we are going to do is string the bras right across the entire Red Deer River. There is at least 700, if not more.”

Taylor’s colleague, morning show co-host Whitney Graves, said the unique idea made practical sense with many, many women in the City and throughout Central Alberta.

“Every single woman has probably five bras in her underwear drawer that she has no use for anymore, either it doesn’t fit or she doesn’t like it. So we are taking them off their hands and we are going to string them right across the river and raise awareness,” said Graves, who was broadcasting live with Taylor during the morning event. “We are also going to take all these bras and head them over to Classic Cleaners, get them cleaned up and send them over to women in need across Central Alberta.”

And if folks didn’t have any old used bras to donate they were able to make a financial donation as well, said Taylor.

In 2010, an estimated 23,200 women in Canada will be diagnosed with breast cancer, an increase of more than 500 from 2009. On average, 445 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every week.

According to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation an estimated 180 men in Canada will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. The incidence of breast cancer in men has remained unchanged since 2009. Men with breast cancer make up a little less than 1% of all cases.

In 2010, an estimated 5,300 women and 50 men will die from breast cancer in Canada. On average, 100 Canadian women will die of breast cancer every week. This has remained unchanged since 2009.

For more information on breast cancer in Canada visit http://www.cbcf.org/breastcancer/

jbachusky@reddeerexpress.com