Tough Enough To Wear Pink™ Celebrates Sixth Anniversary With New Goal to Reach $9 Million Mark to Fight Breast Cancer

Official wine, Purple Cowboy, kicks in a buck a case to help reach the target

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Sep 28, 2010, 01:42 ET

NAPA VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Tough Enough To Wear Pink™ (TETWP), the grassroots cowboy campaign fighting breast cancer since 2004, celebrates its sixth anniversary this year with a challenge. Hundreds of volunteers and regional rodeos across the U.S. and Canada have helped TETWP raise $7.5 million dollars since its inception. This year, the group would like to raise the bar to $9 million.

"We want to announce reaching the $9 million goal at the Wrangler National Final Rodeo in Las Vegas on Tough Enough To Wear Pink Night, Wednesday, Dec. 8," explains Terry Wheatley, who formed the program alongside former Wrangler® Director of Special Events and current Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association Commissioner, Karl Stressman. "All money raised benefits local breast cancer charities and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which funds groundbreaking breast cancer research projects internationally."

Wheatley, a California entrepreneur who owns and operates Canopy Management, a Napa Valley wine company creating, marketing and selling wine under the Wine Sisterhood™ banner, is a rodeo wife, mom and breast cancer survivor. One of Wine Sisterhood's wines, Purple Cowboy, is the official wine of TETWP, with $1 for every case sold going to the charity. Purple Cowboy is also the official wine of the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association.

"As founder of both Tough Enough To Wear Pink and Wine Sisterhood, I wanted to find a way for our wine to help support the cause. We are supporting TETWP events with wine whenever we can so we can reach our goal by the end of the year," says Wheatley.

Purple Cowboy wines include Tenacious Red, a Cabernet/Merlot blend, and Night Rider Merlot, both from the cowboy wine country appellation of Paso Robles. This fall, Purple Cowboy will introduce a new varietal called Trail Boss Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tough Enough To Wear Pink was created six years ago when Wheatley and Stressman issued a challenge to the cowboys: Are You Tough Enough To Wear Pink? During one night of the 10-night Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the competitors were dared to wear the color pink to bring attention to the need for early detection and a cure for breast cancer, a disease which affects many families in the western community. Cowboys and cowgirls created a sensation when they galloped into the championship arena ablaze in pink. Inspired rodeo fans soon began asking how they could put on TETWP events at their own hometown rodeos, and the grassroots fundraising took off one rodeo at a time.

TETWP continues to be spearheaded by Wheatley and Stressman, while the Wrangler brand remains the program's title sponsor, selling the official pink apparel of TETWP. Katie and Lacey Wheatley coordinate with rodeos and other non-rodeo organizations to create the pink-themed fundraisers across the country throughout the year.

Visit www.purplecowboy.com to find out more about Purple Cowboy wines. Purple Cowboy wines are available wherever wine is sold nationally and at www.winesisterhood.com, where real women voice their opinions about wine and have a voice in the creation of the next new wine brand.

About Tough Enough To Wear Pink™ (TETWP™)

TETWP was created by entrepreneur and breast cancer survivor Terry Wheatley to bring the sport of professional rodeo and the western community together to rally against breast cancer. Since its inception in 2004, TETWP has empowered rodeos in the U.S. and Canada to focus attention on the need for a cure. To date, the campaign has raised $7.5 million dollars for breast cancer charities, much of which stays right in the community. The grassroots movement has inspired other sports communities to mount their own TETWP campaigns, spreading a message of hope and support that reaches beyond the rodeo arena to competitors, families and fans across America. For more information on how to help, visit www.toughenoughtowearpink.com.

About Wrangler®

Wrangler is proud to be the title sponsor of the TETWP™ campaign. Wrangler Western Wear is available at more than 2,500 western specialty, mid-tier and workwear stores nationwide that provide quality men's and women's apparel and accessories. For more information regarding the Wrangler family of products or to locate the Wrangler retailer nearest you, visit www.wrangler.com or call 1.888.784.8571.

VF Corporation is a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel with more than 30 brands, including Wrangler®, The North Face®, Lee®, Vans®, Nautica®, 7 For All Mankind®, Eagle Creek®, Eastpak®, Ella Moss®, JanSport®, lucy®, John Varvatos®, Kipling®, Majestic®, Napapijri®, Red Kap®, Reef®, Riders® and Splendid®.

VF Corporation's press releases, annual report and other information can be accessed through the Company's home page, www.vfc.com.

About Wine Sisterhood™

Sisterhood is powerful! The Wine Sisterhood is the world's first wine company to connect female consumers with the creation of new wines through an innovative, interactive, online community. Members of the Wine Sisterhood help guide brand development and engage directly in the process by participating in surveys and opinion polls and sharing their opinions and insights. The result is an evolving, award-winning portfolio of wines with unique personalities, packaging, quality and value, including Middle Sister, Purple Cowboy, pro-mis-Q-ous, Monogamy, Deep Purple, Good Daughter, Little Chica , Kate and Cassie and Cocca di Papa. Wine Sisterhood wines are available at fine retailers nationally and at www.winesisterhood.com.

*For campaign information contact Katie Wheatley at [email protected].

*For images or interview requests contact Jenny Dubberly at 828.719.7083 or [email protected].