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The traveling purple potty

Photo by MEGAN WICKERT

Purple toilets sit outside of Up 4 Breakfast in the Barclay Crossing shopping center on Monday for display. The plastic toilets will be distributed to homes and businesses throughout the county in the weeks to come.

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By MEGAN WICKERT

Hernando Today Intern

Published: July 2, 2009

Updated: 07/02/2009 10:12 pm

Unsightly purple lawn ornaments started showing up Monday in lawns across Hernando County.

The purple toilets are a fundraiser for the Relay for Life team Up 4 Breakfast.

Team member Joseph Monticciolo said four purple toilets will travel from lawn to lawn throughout the county over the next few months. Purple is the universal color for cancer and this team wants to "flush away cancer," he added.

According to the Web site, The Relay for Life fundraiser was started 25 years ago by Dr. Gordy Klatt, who wanted to raise money for cancer research. Today there are teams all over the world with the same goal to raise funds and to raise awareness of cancer prevention and treatment.

The event is held across the country to remember loved ones who lost their battle with cancer and the ones who are fighting to show them there is still hope. Monticciolo said Up 4 Breakfast is Up 4 a Cure and the team set a $5,000 goal for the 2010 Relay for Life campaign.

"When the toilet lands in your yard, there will be a sign saying that "you've been flushed" with directions of how to get rid of the purple toilet," he said.

Monticciolo added there will be a small fee to have it removed. If you are willing to pay more, you can have it taken to an address of your choice. For added security, you can pay extra to have it removed and for it to never return.

The money raised will be donated to the American Cancer Society. He said the first recipient of the purple toilet was the law office of Sean Hengesbach, 5438 Spring Hill Drive.

Hengesbach said he welcomed the purple eyesore to his office.

"Normally I wouldn't allow a toilet in the front of my office, but this is for a good cause," he said.

Another way to donate is to Stop by Up 4 Breakfast in the Barclay Crossing shopping center, 14359 Spring Hill Drive, to purchase a raffle ticket to win the monthly gift basket. Just for stopping by you will receive a purple ribbon to show your support for the fight against cancer, he said.

For more information, call 352-398-6200 or 352-200-5853.

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