You couldn't help but notice The Sun Chronicle two weeks ago today.

To launch Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we launched a four-day campaign to raise awareness and money for Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure, publishing stories on the front page of local survivors as well as tips for victims and their families. We pledged money to the cause, at least $2,000.

The centerpiece was the Sunday, Oct. 4 edition, which featured front-page stories by veteran reporter Susan LaHoud as well as advertising throughout the paper saluting the effort. Many of the ads carried a ribbon.

And, to top it off, the edition was printed on pink paper.

Not a soft pastel pink, either. We're talking a bright pink, a very HOT pink. We received a fair amount of reaction to it, not all good.

While many people - particularly those touched by breast cancer - praised the effort and thanked us for the donation, others didn't like that Oct. 4 paper.

Too pink.

I certainly understand. It was VERY pink.

Let me backtrack.

The idea for the pink paper came from a conference attended by some members of The Sun Chronicle staff. They learned that a couple of other papers had tried it, with success. The papers had raised awareness and money for a cause while drumming up a little business. A win-win.

A few months ago, we began planning for it. So did other newspapers, including some owned by the Gatehouse Co., owners of such competitor papers as the Taunton Gazette and Brockton Enterprise.

We all found that there was only one supplier of pink newsprint. It came in one shade.

We all ordered it. And we all found the color, well, a little dazzling.

We'd like to do a color edition again next year, but we'll work on ways of toning down the pink or running far fewer pages in such a bright color. And we're even considering printing on other color paper for other causes (green for Earth Day, perhaps?). I'd love to know your thoughts on the pink paper. Please call me or e-mail at the number or address below.

And stay tuned for an announcement from Publisher Oreste P. D'Arconte on how much we will donate towards breast cancer. It's likely to be more than the original pledge.

Another update

While I received more complaints about the pink paper than I expected, I expected a lot of backlash about a change on the comics page - and received very little.

The day after the pink edition, we consolidated most of our comics onto one page and eliminated four strips. So far, I've received five complaints - not nearly enough in my mind to consider switching back.

It's surprising because comics are one of those things many readers get attached to. And when their favorite is missing, watch out.

In this case, we had asked readers which strips they liked and which they didn't. The four that were eliminated - Herman, Monty, On The Fast Track and Born Loser - were all at the bottom.

Please let me know how you like our new strips, Argyle Sweater and Tundra.

MIKE KIRBY is editor of The Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at 508-236-0344 or at mkirby@thesunchronicle.com.