By Jim Newell

Review Editor

The 16 men who participated in the first Oakland County Real Men Wear Pink campaign raised $52,707.92 in their collected efforts to support the American Cancer Society’s fight against breast cancer.

The men pledged to wear a pink article of clothing every day in October – national breast cancer awareness month – and do what they could to raise funds.

Orion native Matt Pfeiffer was at the top of the list, raising $15,004. That total also puts Pfeiffer at 60th nationwide in the Real Men Wear Pink initiative.

The Orion area had three men take part in the campaign – Pfeiffer, Lake Orion schools Athletic Director Chris Bell and Pastor Eric Johnson of King of Kings Lutheran Church.

Pfeiffer embraced the campaign as soon as he was asked, using zany antics to pay off in real dollars.

“The reality is there’s not much I wouldn’t do in terms of helping others in the community that I would say no to,” said Pfeiffer, who owns Northern Flooring and Interiors and is the president of the Orion Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Board. “I love to have my business associated with doing good, so this was kind of a no-brainer for me. I was honored to be asked.”

Pfeiffer took the big pink Making Strides Against Breast Cancer chair to Green’s Park for the Dragon Boat Races and set up a table with informational pamphlets.

Never one to go small in his endeavors, Pfeiffer then set up the pink chair at Northern Flooring and spent 24 hours sitting in the chair to raise awareness and collect donations.

Most notably, he walked around town in a pink tuxedo from the 1970s, pink Panama hat and pink high-top sneakers. He also did a video where he crashed weddings, told people what he was doing and asked them to donate – and then danced with the bride and groom.

Pfeiffer also was at Powerhouse Gym for an elliptical machine challenge, staying on the machine for three hours as donations kept rolling in.

To donate to the American Cancer Society, visit www.cancer.org.