Like many pubs, bars and taverns, Palmer Lake Pub has implemented a pint club program for years. However, late last year, the pink cups at the pub helped raise $4,000 for those past or presently affected by cancer and those who have lost loved ones to it.

Troy and Chantel Price, owners of the Palmer Lake Pub located at 876 Hwy 105 in Palmer Lake, decided to kick off the pub’s mug program about four years ago. The program involves a patron who purchases a personalized, insulated mug from which to drink, and as a member of the club he or she is privy to additional discounts. The club membership then collects annual dues at the start of the year.

Being the local philanthropists the couple is known to be, the mug club has been used as a fundraising vehicle as well. Most recently, from October to November of last year, the color of the mug club was changed to bring awareness and raise money for The Becky Baker Foundation.

Troy Price knew he wanted to do something to support cancer survivors, those presently being treated for it and those who’ve lost loved ones to it. He did research to see if any particular month was suitable for cancer awareness and had found October and November to be the best fit for a cancer fundraiser.

So last year, from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15, the mugs for the club were changed to pink, to match the color of the cancer awareness ribbon.

“I lost my mom to cancer. I lost my dogs to cancer,” Price said. “It’s a good cause, but then we were looking for an organization that we can donate money to.”

The Becky Baker Foundation was eventually determined as the destination for the fundraiser pipeline. Founded by Rick Baker in honor of his late wife, Becky, who passed away from stage IV metastatic breast cancer. The foundation focuses on providing free mammograms and thermograms to women and men who cannot afford these critical screenings.

Since its inception, the foundation has given away over 2,000 mammograms, emphasizing the importance of early detection in the fight against breast cancer. In addition, the Becky Baker Foundation has partnered with organizations like the United Breast Cancer Foundation to host events which allow breast cancer patients and their families to shop for new merchandise at no cost, alleviating some of the financial burdens associated with the disease.

“The fundraiser drew the largest attention we’d ever had towards the mug club membership,” Price said. “I told everyone, it’s not about the club, it’s not about the membership. It’s about the affecting cause that we can have on those that are either suffering or who have suffered.”

The foundation takes all the donations it receives and gives it back to those affected by cancer that are in need of help, can’t afford to pay their utilities, and the like, Price said. The foundation has a store location in the Pueblo Mall, which allowed it to make a home free of rent, and to which major contributors are outsourced, such as Nike and Under Armour, to stock the store with apparel. Those affected by cancer are allowed to come to the store and shop for free.

The store runs 100-percent on donations, both monetary and in-kind, outside support and completely operated by volunteers.

“When I heard the story about the founder who had passed, I was taken back because it was similar to how I lost my mom,” Price said. “It touched my heart, and that’s what me and my wife are big about, giving back to the community, giving back to people.”

In addition to the funds raised from the mug club, which totaled $4,000, Price said a third-party partnered with Palmer Lake Pub’s efforts and offered to match whatever donation it was making to the Becky Baker Foundation.

“It was probably our best fundraiser yet,” Troy Price said. “We are going to continue to do stuff like that. It’s important.”

Price, a war veteran with 22 years between serving in the U.S. Marines and Army, late last year had a cancer scare himself, which fortunately turned out to be benign, on top of his continued treatment for Type 2 diabetes. His own medical concerns do not keep him from thinking down the road for new ways to give back to his community and charitable organizations, using the pub as the vehicle of their efforts.

He and his wife aim to give back to veterans next, possibly. In the past they have performed fundraising events to help Victory Service Dogs, of which they know very well the owner of the organization.

“We did that for our first fundraiser,” he said. “We did one for CJD. CJD is a very, very rare disease that kills people and it’s hereditary. There’s no cure for it at all. … We have lost a really good friend because of CJD. It was like overnight.”

CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease) is a brain disorder caused by an abnormal protein called prion.

“We take nothing from this [Palmer Lake Pub] business,” Price said. “Every bit of money that comes here goes back into the business, goes back into the patrons, improving the facility. That’s what we are about, giving back to others.

“We are called the Cheers of the Tri-Lakes, where everybody knows your name, that is what we do. Give back. That’s important.”

Like many pubs, bars and taverns, Palmer Lake Pub has implemented a pint club program for years. However, late last year, the pink cups at the pub helped raise $4,000 for those past or presently affected by cancer and those who have lost loved ones to it.

Troy and Chantel Price, owners of the Palmer Lake Pub located at 876 Hwy 105 in Palmer Lake, decided to kick off the pub’s mug program about four years ago. The program involves a patron who purchases a personalized, insulated mug from which to drink, and as a member of the club he or she is privy to additional discounts. The club membership then collects annual dues at the start of the year.

Being the local philanthropists the couple is known to be, the mug club has been used as a fundraising vehicle as well. Most recently, from October to November of last year, the color of the mug club was changed to bring awareness and raise money for The Becky Baker Foundation.

Troy Price knew he wanted to do something to support cancer survivors, those presently being treated for it and those who’ve lost loved ones to it. He did research to see if any particular month was suitable for cancer awareness and had found October and November to be the best fit for a cancer fundraiser.

So last year, from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15, the mugs for the club were changed to pink, to match the color of the cancer awareness ribbon.

“I lost my mom to cancer. I lost my dogs to cancer,” Price said. “It’s a good cause, but then we were looking for an organization that we can donate money to.”

The Becky Baker Foundation was eventually determined as the destination for the fundraiser pipeline. Founded by Rick Baker in honor of his late wife, Becky, who passed away from stage IV metastatic breast cancer. The foundation focuses on providing free mammograms and thermograms to women and men who cannot afford these critical screenings.

Since its inception, the foundation has given away over 2,000 mammograms, emphasizing the importance of early detection in the fight against breast cancer. In addition, the Becky Baker Foundation has partnered with organizations like the United Breast Cancer Foundation to host events which allow breast cancer patients and their families to shop for new merchandise at no cost, alleviating some of the financial burdens associated with the disease.

“The fundraiser drew the largest attention we’d ever had towards the mug club membership,” Price said. “I told everyone, it’s not about the club, it’s not about the membership. It’s about the affecting cause that we can have on those that are either suffering or who have suffered.”

The foundation takes all the donations it receives and gives it back to those affected by cancer that are in need of help, can’t afford to pay their utilities, and the like, Price said. The foundation has a store location in the Pueblo Mall, which allowed it to make a home free of rent, and to which major contributors are outsourced, such as Nike and Under Armour, to stock the store with apparel. Those affected by cancer are allowed to come to the store and shop for free.

The store runs 100-percent on donations, both monetary and in-kind, outside support and completely operated by volunteers.

“When I heard the story about the founder who had passed, I was taken back because it was similar to how I lost my mom,” Price said. “It touched my heart, and that’s what me and my wife are big about, giving back to the community, giving back to people.”

In addition to the funds raised from the mug club, which totaled $4,000, Price said a third-party partnered with Palmer Lake Pub’s efforts and offered to match whatever donation it was making to the Becky Baker Foundation.

“It was probably our best fundraiser yet,” Troy Price said. “We are going to continue to do stuff like that. It’s important.”

Price, a war veteran with 22 years between serving in the U.S. Marines and Army, late last year had a cancer scare himself, which fortunately turned out to be benign, on top of his continued treatment for Type 2 diabetes. His own medical concerns do not keep him from thinking down the road for new ways to give back to his community and charitable organizations, using the pub as the vehicle of their efforts.

He and his wife aim to give back to veterans next, possibly. In the past they have performed fundraising events to help Victory Service Dogs, of which they know very well the owner of the organization.

“We did that for our first fundraiser,” he said. “We did one for CJD. CJD is a very, very rare disease that kills people and it’s hereditary. There’s no cure for it at all. … We have lost a really good friend because of CJD. It was like overnight.”

CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease) is a brain disorder caused by an abnormal protein called prion.

“We take nothing from this [Palmer Lake Pub] business,” Price said. “Every bit of money that comes here goes back into the business, goes back into the patrons, improving the facility. That’s what we are about, giving back to others.

“We are called the Cheers of the Tri-Lakes, where everybody knows your name, that is what we do. Give back. That’s important.”