Local realtor nears $100,000 in funds raised for breast cancer research through annual Pink Tag Sale

HAMPTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A Pittsburgh woman has found a unique way to help women impacted by breast cancer.

She hosts a glorified “moving sale” at her real estate office, called the Pink Tag Sale.

Linda Pelkofer founded it 20 years ago, and she’s close to reaching her goal of raising $100,000 in total.

So, how does it work?

In May, Linda hosts a huge, one-day sale, in the basement of her Hampton Township Berkshire Hathaway office. All the stuff she’s collected — toys, decorations, kitchen appliances and more — came from people who didn’t want it anymore when they were moving.

“This way, it doesn’t go into a landfill, but more importantly, it helps breast cancer research,” Pelkofer said.

All the money that Linda raises from the annual Pink Tag Sale goes to breast cancer organizations.

For the last five years, Pelkofer has donated checks worth thousands of dollars to Glimmer of Hope, a local nonprofit funding breast cancer research in Western Pennsylvania.

“That is so impactful on that center. We can accomplish so much with $10,000,” said Diana Napper, Glimmer of Hope Founder.

The funds help the nonprofit get mammograms for women under 40 who need them or give money to the Glimmer of Hope Metastatic Breast Cancer Center at AGH, which is what Napper plans to do with the most recent donation.

“I decided I should raise money for people who need the help because I was blessed,” Pelkofer said. A lump she found when she was a freshman in college turned out not to be cancer, so she’s paying it forward with her sale.

“I really appreciate what they’ve got going on here,” said Erin Warneke, a repeat Pink Tag Sale shopper. “Not only does the money go to a good cause but it’s recycling, it’s keeping things out of a landfill, which is like a double win.”

Anything Linda doesn’t sell she donates to other charities. And then she starts over from scratch, collecting items and filling the basement for the Pink Tag Sale the next year.

“Every time we do another sale, there’s more and more than there was at the last sale. Which means more people love the idea that 100% of the money goes to a charity,” said Nancy Evans another Berkshire Hathaway realtor who helps with the Pink Tag Sale.

This year the Pink Tag Sale is on Saturday, May 4.

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