Painting Little Silver Gold for Cancer Awareness

Their kids may have won their respective fights against cancer, but moms Gerri Daneman and Beth McLoone are still waging a war against the disease.

The two women are spearheading an effort to "Paint the Town Gold" and came before the Little Silver Borough Council on Monday to get its blessing to bring their campaign for increasing awareness of pediatric cancer to town in September.

The campaign already has the financial backing of Monmouth Medical Center and its foundation and has been greenlighted by Atlantic Highlands officials, according to Daneman at the Aug. 6 council meeting.

Daneman and McLoone also have met with the about swapping out the lamppost banners that line Prospect Avenue for ones produced to promote the Paint the Town event.

While they are not asking the borough for any money, as Monmouth Medical will fund the cost of producing the banners, they did want approval to use public works employees to hang them.

Daneman pointed out that four other children in Little Silver, aside from her daughter and McLoone's son, are cancer survivors and there are a "huge amount of children" throughout Monmouth County who are either survivors or battling the disease.

Daneman, who serves as the vice president of the Make Some Noise Foundation —an organization that aims to spread information about pediatric cancer and help raise money to fund new research — said that businesses would have the opportunity to find the fundraiser that's most appropriate for them. In Atlantic Highlands, for example, one restaurant will run a drink special while another is offering special pancakes all month.

The Paint the Town event comes on the heels of an event to raise awareness for pediatric cancer, which included swimmers from the North Shore Summer Swim League and beach clubs throughout Sea Bright, Monmouth Beach and Long Branch. All money raised goes directly to research for all different pediatric-related cancers, said Daneman.

Daneman said she hopes Little Silver will serve as a prototype for the Paint the Town event that she hopes to eventually take to the national level.