KINGSTON — With the strength and spirit of Kathleen Sutton driving them, three women have been working tirelessly to ensure the fourth annual auction in her honor goes perfectly. In the middle of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Vivi-Ann Parnell, Mary McFarlane and Janice Kutz have been collecting the donations needed to continue their work, leaving a trail of pink behind them.

“(Kathleen) would be thrilled,” Parnell said of how Sutton would react to Saturday’s event. “She was such an inspiration for a lot of women. She was very, very involved in breast cancer awareness. It’s a great cause, and easy to go out and ask for donations.”

In her honor, the Kathleen Sutton Inspiration Fund was born. Sutton’s 2003 effort to raise breast cancer funding and awareness was originally called the Flo On Foundation but when she succumbed to the disease in April 2004, Parnell, McFarlane and Kutz renamed the cause and took the reins.

The fund provides money for transportation costs for women with breast cancer who have to travel — often to Seattle — for treatment.

“We raised $10,000 last year, and I think that was extraordinary,” Parnell said, noting that the annual auction is the group’s primary fund raiser. “If we reach up to that point this year, that would be absolutely wonderful.”

“We’re hoping that this is as good as last year’s auction,” McFarlane said. “Last year’s was just amazing. Hopefully, we do the same this year.”

The event will begin with a silent auction, which will be followed by a live auction, Parnell said, noting that the schedule — which was new last year — proved popular.

Available for bidding will be a week’s visit to a one bedroom condo in Maui, Hawaii, a one night stay at the Clearwater Hotel, spa treatment at the Clearwater Spa, a one night stay in Port Ludlow, rounds of golf, gift certificates to restaurants and businesses and power tools, among other things, Parnell said.

“I picked up a beautiful Japanese maple from Savage Plants,” Kutz said, adding hat it’s already turning a nice shade of pink for the fall, the perfect color for breast cancer awareness month. “We have a lot of cool things coming, we just need to get the people there now.”

As for the money from last year’s auction, Parnell, McFarlane and Kutz decided that they would widen their geographic range in an attempt to help more women who are dealing with breast cancer. A few months ago, the trio decided to expand their area of assistance from Kitsap County and help women in Jefferson and Clallam counties as well.

“Originally, we were just looking for people here,” McFarlane said, adding that they heard about women in Gig Harbor having to commute to Harrison Hospital in Bremerton for treatment. “Even a commute of that length while in chemo is a stress.”

Sutton started a whole new way to support women with breast cancer, and McFarlane, Kutz and Parnell are determined to continue her work to honor her memory.

“She’s sitting up there, she’s really happy,” Parnell said. “She loves it, and she’s with me every time I’m out soliciting people. She was such a special person.”