DEMOPOLIS &8212; Clad in pink shirts and carrying posters, ribbons and balloons emblazoned with the symbol of breast cancer awareness, the crowd outside of U.S. Jones Elementary made quite a statement Thursday.

With a police escort and lead by the River City Blue, the Demopolis City Schools marching band, and cheerleaders from both the high school and the middle school, students and teachers of U.S. Jones kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness month by walking the block around the school to honor or support someone with breast cancer.

This year, the parade also included some survivors and parents of students.

In order to participate in the parade, organizers asked for a one dollar donation from each person. All of those funds will be tallied and donated to a cause associated with breast cancer awareness. Moore said they have given the donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation in Birmingham in the past, but this year they hope to donate it to a local effort, such as the Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital oncology center.

Moore said they are also filling a wall with pink ribbons that were filled out by the students to either honor a survivor of the disease or in memory of someone who died from it.

When asked if the young students grasped the full concept of the event, Moore said they were very receptive.

After visiting each physical education class, Moore said all the students were invited to participate.

Moore said the cause is something worthwhile not only for the students to learn but to support those locally who have been affected by breast cancer.

In the Demopolis City School system alone, Moore said there were at least six women who had gone through the disease, including the other coordinator for the event, librarian Flory Mayberry.