Gunnison Tough
Dean Dillon and Gunnison Tough
This video was presented at the Dean Dillon Tribute Concert in Huntsville, AL on October 10th.
In this fun video, WHNT News 19 reports the “Dean Dillon Tribute Breaks Record“! Gunnison Tough board member, Mike Dawson, appears at 0:32.
Also check out the stories, “Dean Dillon tribute concerts breaks VBVC record and brings fans from all over the world” on SoundBites and a WHNT News 19 special about the “Songs & Stories of Dean Dillon Night One“.
We’re Rebranding
Gunnison Cattlemen’s Days Tough Enough to Wear Pink is now Gunnison Tough.
Why, What’s Changing?
Previously subsiding under Cattlemen’s Days Rodeo, Gunnison Tough now has an independent 501C-3 status allowing the organization to continue our community support, expand our grant application opportunities, and continue our valued partnerships.
A Letter from our Executive Director
If you ask a parent what their dream is for their child when they grow up, most will say something along the lines of……I hope they grow up to be strong, kind, independent, safe, successful, follow their heart and dreams, set goals and accomplish them, live up to their potential and work to give back something positive to their community.
As the Executive Director, watching the Cattlemen’s Days Tough Enough To Wear Pink (TETWP) organization grow up over the past 10 years, I could not be more proud what it has become and what our future holds as we move forward into our own 501c3 non profit organization………. Gunnison Tough.
With the blessing and support of our parent organization – Cattlemen’s Days, we are thrilled to jump into the next chapter of our story. We will continue to serve the community as we always have through the many TETWP cancer programs and initiatives.
We are excited to share our Gunnison Tough mission and vision.
Our Mission:
Gunnison Tough is dedicated to providing comprehensive cancer programs to keep our community strong.
Our Vision:
Gunnison Tough keeps all the money raised in our valley to support our community in their needs to stay healthy and strong in the face of cancer. Equipped with a powerful historical foundation, Gunnison Tough continues to identify and serve our community’s growing needs through partnerships and collaboration to provide our valley with the best rural cancer care in the country.
Our roots and history are in the rodeo and it is what this organization was built on. We will continue to be a partner of the Cattlemen’s Days rodeo committee, putting on the beloved #1 Tough Enough To Wear Pink PRCA Rodeo in the USA!
This grassroots organization has grown up and is successful because of this unique Gunnison Valley community. The goals we have accomplished here could not be done in many other places. This continued community support is what will launch us into new possibilities to do even more here as we become our own independent non profit organization.
As we move forward, the future of this organization is filled with exciting and important opportunities to expand and impact the community in even bigger ways! We hope that you will be a part of the next chapter in this story of the little committee that grew up to do great things and live to its fullest potential!
Thank you and stay tough !
Heidi Sherratt
Executive Director – Gunnison Tough
We are a 501(C)(3) organization.
2024 Gunnison Tough Merchandise!
Take a look at our oh-so-cute merch for 2024 by flipping through our catalog below. You can get your favorites by contacting Gunnison Tough!
Winter Songwriter Shuffle Concerts!
February 14th: Wood Box Heroes, Dean Dillon, & Friends
Mountaineer Square Ballroom
March 2025: Featured Songwriters to be Announced
Elevation Hotel
Thanks to the Town of Mt. Crested Butte, Gunnison Tough will be hosting two Winter Songwriter Shuffle Concerts. Stay tuned for details!
Gunnison Tough was in my corner for the fight of my life. Making sure I was taken care of and not giving up. They made me realize it was ok to pause some of my life to fight. To win. That I wasn’t being lazy or a charity case. But that I was getting the help that I needed to beat this. And I did win.
-Meagan F.
Say hello to our Patient Transportation Vehicles: Bucky, Tuffy, & Betty Ann!
Read more about how Gunnison Tough is helping patients reach their appointments safely and comfortably with our patient transportation vehicles, Bucky, Tuffy, and Betty Ann.
Driver volunteers are needed! Please see the information at the bottom of this page if you would like to volunteer to drive one of our transportation vehicles.
Thank you to Sky High Offroad and CB Towing & Recovery for keeping Bucky, Tuffy, and Betty Ann in tip-top shape from their tires to oil changes.
“Gunnison Valley Health and Tough Enough To Wear Pink have collaborated on a strategic plan to bring the best in breast care services to the Valley. We could not have done this without the support of Tough Enough to Wear Pink.”
– Rob Santilli, CEO Gunnison Valley Health
“GVH has one of the strongest rural mammography programs in the state of Colorado and the Gunnison community should be proud of this service.”
– Inspector, Colorado Department of Health and Human Services
How We Have Helped the Gunnison Valley
According to a 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment, cancer care is one of the highest priority needs identified by our community. To address this need, Gunnison Tough has helped in the following ways:
- Total fundraising to date since 2005 is $6,279,634.
- 2022 Cattlemen’s Days fundraising campaigns raised $1,125,034.
- Pedal for Pink raised $33,000.
- 2021 fundraising campaigns raised $650,000.
- 2020 fundraising campaigns raised $557,000.
- 2023 – Purchase of the ABUS – automated breast ultrasound machine – $279,807.50
- 2020 $147,000 purchase of Breast MRI Coil.
- 2019 $160,000 purchase of a Breast Stereotactic Biopsy Device.
2017 $370,000.00 purchase of a Hologic 3D Tomosynthesis Mammography Machine.
- Proven to detect 20%-65% more invasive breast cancers compared to 2D alone, an average increase of 41%.
- Proven to reduce callbacks by up to 40% compared to 2D alone.
- FDA approved as superior for women with dense breasts compared to 2D alone.
- $120,000 funded in mammograms, ultrasounds, and biopsies since 2013 for uninsured or underinsured Gunnison Valley residents. In 2020 alone, Gunnison Tough has funded more than $25,000 to cover the cost of life-saving breast cancer screenings for those who do not have health insurance coverage.
- Over $1,679,807.50 has been used since 2006 to purchase equipment ( ABUS, Breast MRI Coil, 3D Tomosynthesis, ultrasound, digital mammography, stereotactic biopsy, PINK robes, and warmers) to expand breast cancer services at Gunnison Valley Hospital as part of a comprehensive strategic plan with Gunnison Valley Hospital to make this the best small town breast cancer facility in the US.
- 30% of the salary for the Oncology Nurse Navigator hired to help all cancer patients in the Gunnison Valley to navigate the complexities of treatments, medications, insurance, transportation, and provide support and assistance throughout all stages of the cancer continuum.
- “Tuffy” the Transportation Ram Truck purchased in 2016, and “Bucky” the Dodge Durango purchased in 2018 help all cancer patients get to their out of town medical appointments safely and comfortably. They have traveled over 132,735 miles across the state. TETWP welcomed a third vehicle, Betty Ann,
donated in 2020! - $190,000 granted since 2015 through the Friends of Pink program to help individuals in the Gunnison Valley who were impacted financially due to a breast cancer diagnosis (lost wages, travel expenses for treatment, etc.).
- $10,000 in funding the honorary Edie Gibson “Make It A Great Day” program which helps Gunnison Valley residents who are diagnosed with cancer by providing coupons for them and their caregivers to utilize the therapy services of Integrative Therapies.
- $10,000 to fund Mammo Mondays. A nice treat providing patients with a relaxing massage or reiki after having their annual mammogram at GVH.
- $34,000 since 2019 through Lucy’s House providing lodging assistance to individuals with any type of cancer.
- $2,000 to Casting for Recovery to send two Gunnison County Ladies to the 2018 Fly Fishing Retreat for breast cancer survivors in Redstone, CO.
Bucky, Tuffy, & Betty Ann Drivers Needed
Would you like to volunteer to drive breast cancer patients to breast cancer clinics or hospitals? Listen to this KBUT interview for more information. Please contact us if you would like to volunteer to drive or fill one of our other volunteer positions. We appreciate your kindness!