ATHENS-Mayor Ronnie Marks did not hesitate when asked to sit on a portable purple potty right on the Athens Utilities lawn.
Ina Holland, Relay for Life – Limestone County event chairwoman, said Marks may have been looking forward to it.
“I saw him a few weeks before at Swamp John’s (city team fundraiser), and he asked me, ‘When do you want me back on the toilet?’” Holland said.
Last year Marks sat on a porcelain purple potty in his front yard.
Both times, Marks signed proclamations for Paint the Town Purple Week in honor of Relay for Life. This year’s Purple Week is 
April 21-26. The proclamation asks that Athenians participate in Relay activities, educate themselves about cancer prevention and treatments and support finding a cure. Citizens are asked to wear purple and decorate their homes and businesses in purple and mail photos to hhollman@athensal.us so the city can share them on its social sites.
“If I have to sit on a purple potty to get people’s attention when it comes to fighting cancer, then I’m not hesitating to sit on a purple potty,” said Marks, who lost a brother to cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, there will be an estimated 26,770 new cases of selected cancers in Alabama for 2014 and an estimated 10,510 deaths for selected cancers in the state this year.
“The American Cancer Society has helped advance treatments for cancer, early detection and prevention education,” Marks said. “Our city has supported Relay for Life for 16 years, and those city Relay teams have raised more than $65,000 during those 16 years.”
Money generated during the Relay for Life campaign in 2013 funded not only state and national research, but also funded scarves and wigs for local patients, support groups, lodging assistance for 14 patients and transportation for 28 patients.
Some of the events planned this week for Paint the Town Purple are:
● Today, Monday, April 21 – The Survivors Dinner is at 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church Family Life Center.
● Tuesday, April 22 – Canvas Paint Party at Holiday Inn at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $35. Please RSVP by Monday at noon. The painting is a daffodil.
● Thursday, April 24 – City employees will “Punk Out in Purple” and hold a Relay Remembrance Ceremony at 10:30 a.m. at Athens Utilities on Wilkinson Street for employees to have a moment of silence in honor of family and friends who have battled cancer. The city plans to turn the water in the decorative fountain purple in honor of Relay.
● Thursday, April 24 – T&C Stamping Relay Tee Cup Golf Scramble at Canebrake. Call 256-233-7383 for more information.
1 comment
I saw in a youtube dated 4/16/13 Mayor Marks sitting on a purple commode. I did not know until now that the picture was made in his own front yard. I’m sorry that his brother lost the battle of cancer.
Steve