Harper (left) and Olivia Little stand with friends Landon and Jordan Hartz of Pittsburg to show off the bows that can be purchased at Keepsakes and Memories in Port Elgin and on August 1 at Martin’s Home Hardware in Southampton. The bows are part of the Paint the Town Purple campaign.

Hub Staff

The colour purple will soon flourish in Saugeen Shores as Paint the Town Purple takes hold for the month of August. Each year a number of homes, cottages and businesses take part in in the annual campaign, putting out purple bows to raise awareness about the fight against Cystinosis, a life-threatening disease that afflicts approximately 75 children and young adults in Canada; including one 8 year old Olivia Little of Saugeen Shores.

During the July 20 kick off Olivia Little brought family friend Landon Hartz, age 8 from Pittsburgh, with her to Keepsakes and Memories where the purple bows can be purchased. Landon is also living with Cystinosis and the Littles and the Hartz families have become great friends.

Owner of Keepsakes and Memories Chris Swain announced that in 2017 the number of bow sales did dip but was happy to report that from the 600 sales of bows $3643.50 was donated back to the Liv-A-Little Foundation, which raises money for Cystinosis research. Going into the forth year of selling purple bows, Keepsakes has raised $9989.50 for the Foundation.

For 2018, Martin’s Home Hardware will also be selling bows for the campaign beginning August 1.

Keepsakes and Memories is located at 545 Goderich Street in Port Elgin and Martin’s Home Hardware is located at 236 High Street in Southampton.

The Little family of Port Elgin along with Keepsakes and Memories staff and the Hartz family of Pittsburg surrounded the novelty purple paint bucket at Keepsakes and Memories during the Paint the Town Purple campaign launch July 20.

The purple bows come in a variety of sizes.