Chelsea Council makes Breast Cancer Awareness Month proclamation

It was standing room only at the Chelsea City Council’s second meeting in October.

As the Council walked to their seats, dozens of young athletes — all wearing shirts with “KBI” and a pink ribbon — filtered into the council chambers at Chelsea City Hall. They were there to honor the woman whose initials were on their shirts, Kristi Barker Ingram.

Kristi Ingram is a Chelsea resident who has been battling breast cancer since 2010, and in the last several months, her family has spoken up more about her battle and seen a lot of community support as a result.

Chelsea Baseball Club teams have worn their jerseys with Kristi Ingram’s initials all season, and Chelsea Middle School held a Pink Out football game in her honor, in addition to other support from the community. At the Oct. 17 Council meeting, Mayor Tony Picklesimer issued a proclamation declaring October Breast Cancer Awareness Month in honor of Kristi Ingram.

Prior to Picklesimer’s proclamation, Kristi Ingram’s husband, Councilor David Ingram, thanked everyone in attendance.

“I really don’t know what to say,” David Ingram said. “I really did not expect this many of you here, but I kind of did too because of the people you are, and the parents and coaches and kids.”

The shirts the CBC players have been wearing are a reflection of the entire community, Ingram said, and what they have done for their family. Even before the shirts, he said they felt the community’s support.

“I think it gives them [the players] something to play for, for somebody that’s really struggling, and it gives Kristi encouragement to move on and be strong for you guys,” David Ingram said.

Kristi Ingram also thanked the community for the support she has seen, adding that she receives encouragement from what she hears directly, from what people say to her children and family and from seeing the baseball players wearing their KBI jerseys.

Having the shirts and talking about breast cancer can help raise awareness, she said, which can lead to early detection.

“Early detection is key, and if it wasn’t for that, I probably would not be here. I’m still going through treatments, and I’m just going to keep fighting. And each and every one of you gives me a reason to keep going, besides just my family,” she said.

Knowing the kids were honoring her through their jerseys, and that they are praying for her, she said, is teaching them something they may not otherwise get involved in through school or something else.”

“They’re getting behind something that’s going to make them, I can’t even express it, they’re going to grow into even better young men than they already are,” she said, “and women, because they’re coming home and telling their moms about it.”

Following the proclamation, the council also passed a resolution accepting a bid for drainage and pavement improvements at the Highway 47 sports complex. The bid was awarded to Central Alabama Asphalt Company in the amount of $187,830.

The bid includes a new drainage system at the park, which David Ingram said will help alleviate a problem of rainwater that sticks around for several days, as well as paving and striping of the parking lot. The improvements are something the Council has wanted to do for several years, Picklesimer and David Ingram said.

Also at the meeting, the Council went into executive session regarding a property acquisition. No action was taken during the executive session.