by TM Petaccia

Chris Coleman and Phil Buchy are part of this year’s Pink Tue Guy fundraiser. Photos courtesy

Two local food and beverage leaders are part of a Charlotte-area campaign to raise support for Susan G. Komen Foundation and the nonprofit’s efforts to battle breast cancer.

Chris Coleman, executive chef/partner of The Goodyear House and Old Town Kitchen & Cocktails, and Phil Buchy, owner of Legion Brewing, are part of this year’s Pink Tie Guys fundraising effort in the Queen City.

The organization reaches out to select men to be advocates for the nonprofit by engaging with the public to show how men’s lives are touched by breast cancer as well as promoting Komen’s advocacy work to help those affected by breast cancer plus investments in lifesaving research. These men symbolize being part of the campaign by wearing a pink neck tie.

“The Komen Foundation does a lot of great stuff for the cause,” Buchy says. “I wanted to get behind it and see what we could do to help them help others.”

Along with five other Charlotte business leaders, Buchy and Coleman look to help raise $70,000 ($10,000 each) by the end of the month. The campaign will culminate with Laugh for the Cure gala – an event at the NASCAR Hall of Fame featuring comedian and America’s Got Talent competitor Preacher Lawson.

Both Coleman and Buchy cited personal reasons for committing to this campaign, but from slightly different angles.

“I’m kind of doing this in memory of my grandmother and my mom who both had breast cancer,” Coleman says. “It’s done as a joint memorial, but ‘maw-maw’ (grandmother) was a huge Susan G. Komen supporter herself, so I feel like I’m picking up where she left off a little bit.”

“We have about 325 families who are part of our Legion family, and I know a lot of what they go through,” Buchy says. “A number of our team members have had cancer affect their families. Some have won their battles and some have lost. Our team is really tight knit and I felt Susan G. Komen was a good thing to support.”

In addition to the direct money-raising campaign, both Coleman and Buchy have developed individual money-raising promotions.

As part of the gala’s live auction, Coleman has collaborated with Charlotte food professionals to create a “Taste of Charlotte Basket,” consisting of restaurant gift cards, local craft foods, and other items. He is also donating a private chef experience where Coleman himself will cook a multi-course dinner for eight in the winner’s home. “Hopefully we can start a bit of a bidding war and raise some real money,” he says.

Buchy is taking a more public-at-large approach to additional fundraising, with a carnival at Legion’s Morehead location, 3-7 p.m Saturday, March 25.The event will offer fair games, including a dunk tank where Buchy and others will participate, a bounce house, a petting zoo, goat yoga, and live music.

Click here to donate to Phil Buchy’s Pink Tie campaign.

Click here to donate to Chris Coleman’s Pink Tie campaign.