A GOOD CAUSE—This year’s Rolling for Pink bunko tournament on June 25 in the Santa Rosa Valley is expected to draw 300 players and raise an estimated $30,000 for cancer research. What began as an idea on the back of a bar napkin has blossomed into a charity event that could raise $30,000 for breast cancer research and awareness.

The event’s co-founders, Sue Stonehouse and Pam MacCallum, will host the third annual Rolling for Pink bunko tournament tomorrow, June 25, at a Santa Rosa Valley home.

The event is a passionate desire on the part of the two friends to help women who are battling cancer or recovering from its devastating effects, Stonehouse said.

Bunko is a popular game of chance in which players roll dice to gain matching sets of numbers.

In 2006, Stonehouse and MacCallum traveled together to Las Vegas for the world bunko championship.

Stonehouse lost quickly but was chosen in a lottery- type drawing as the wild-card entry in the final round. Her luck held out, and she was crowned the World Bunko Champion and received a $50,000 grand prize.

When Stonehouse’s sister was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago, Stonehouse turned to the parlor game for a bigger cause.

“I just felt so helpless because I couldn’t take it away,” Stonehouse said of her sister’s battle with the disease. “This was my way of dealing with it. It was the only way I could help.”

Stonehouse’s sister is now cancer-free.

MacCallum said bunko is a great way to raise awareness and money because players can be social without distracting from the game. She said the game has traditionally been played by women.

“It’s mainly played by women, and it’s a fun way to get a lot of women together,” MacCallum said.

Though the two women started the charity in the midst of a recession, Stonehouse said the economic downturn hasn’t affected the event’s success. Last year, more people attended and more money was raised than in the first year. Stonehouse hopes to see 300 people at this year’s fundraiser and to raise $30,000.

“Regardless of the economy, people feel a tie to it because it’s a personal disease and it’s an issue for everybody,” Stonehouse said. “Unfortunately, breast cancer affects everybody. There’s not one woman you can talk to who doesn’t know a sister, aunt, friend or mom with it.”

After lung cancer, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women, according to the American Cancer Society, and it affects about 2.4 million women in the U.S.

“I’ve had several friends who had to endure breast cancer, and I’ve seen how they struggle with it and how it affects their families,” MacCallum said. “(The tournament) helped me to feel less powerless. This was something I could do to help.”

Sponsors such as Golden Spoon, Ola’s Mex Grill and Presto Pasta will provide food for guests.

A band will entertain, and each guest will receive a goody bag at the end of the day.

The husbands, sons and brothers of the women participating in the tournament are included in the fun. They help out by teaching the rules of the game before the tournament, helping with setup and organization, and serving drinks and food to the women as they play. The men wear pink shirts, and the women playfully refer to them as Bunko Boys.

The tournament will include a quarter-final, a semifinal and a final round with a wild-card entry. The bunko champion will walk away with a $2,500 cash prize.

The event will also feature a silent auction.

A single ticket costs $75; multiple tickets cost $65 each. Proceeds are donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The event will take place at a private residence in Santa Rosa Valley from 1 to 5 p.m. Sat., June 25.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.rollingforpink.org.

“We have a very receptive audience here, but I think it would be good for any community,” MacCallum said.