The Man Behind The Pink Line

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The Two River Times is a 2012 sponsor of “Paint The Town Pink, “a breast cancer awareness initiative sponsored by Meridian Health System. Each week through May 12, the TRT will feature stories and blogs provided by Riverview Medical Center, our local Meridian Health System affiliate, focused on communicating the importance of breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment to our readers.

Mark Arnone of Eatontown is the owner and operator of Liberty Line Striping Inc. and Sealcoating, which is responsible for painting the pink stripe down Broad Street during Meridian Health System's "Paint the Town Pink" event in May. The event is aimed at heightening awareness about breast cancer and encouraging women to obtain their yearly mammograms.

By Tom Paolella
 
“IN MY GUT I knew something wasn’t right. Many of my friends and colleagues stopped working to see what the commotion was, and after checking things out just went back to work. I immediately made my way to the stairwell and began the descent down 84 flights of stairs.”
Mark Arnone of Eatontown is the owner and operator of Liberty Line Striping Incorporated and Sealcoating. To know Mark and the meaning behind the name “Liberty Line Striping” takes us back to September 11, 2001.
Mark was employed as a money market broker for Euro Brokers and was sitting at his desk on the 84th floor of Tower 2 on the morning of September 11. At about 8:45 a.m. Mark and his colleagues heard what he describes as an “earthquake-like rattle” and an announcement over the loudspeaker that a plane had crashed into Tower 1 of the World Trade Center. Less than one hour later, Mark found himself safely aboard the Seastreak Ferry on his way across the Hudson River, only later to find out that 61 of his close friends and colleagues had perished in the World Trade Center attacks.
Mark reexamined his life personally and professionally and decided that he needed a change. A family friend introduced him  to the world of line striping and in May of 2002, Liberty Line Striping was born. “I chose the name Liberty Lines as a tribute to the friends that I lost, all the volunteers that gave of themselves in the aftermath, and as a tribute to our country,” says Mark. Business quickly poured in and hi
s former life as a broker officially ended in 2005.
In 2007, Mark and his family heard of Paint the Town Pink since Liberty Line Striping is based in Red Bank and immediately wanted to be involved. Mark has donated his time and energy each and every year to lay down the “Pink Line” that has become the signature marking of Paint the Town Pink. What started as one line down Broad Street in Red Bank has expanded to Monmouth Beach, Fair Haven, and five additional towns for 2012. All of the Pink paint used for the line striping is donated courtesy of Sherwin-Williams in Oakhurst.
“I figured out a way that I could give back to such an amazing initiative as Paint the Town Pink,” says Mark. “My company represents my past, present, and future, and my hope is that the pink line down the center of each town serves as a reminder for women to get their annual mammogram.”
Paint the Town Pink 2012 runs from May 4-12. For more information about Paint the Town Pink visit the new website at www.PainttheTownPink.com and be sure to follow Paint the Town Pink on Facebook to see highlights of this year’s campaign and for a complete list of events and activities.