When Finance Committee Chair Donna Bronk learned recently that her breast cancer had returned, she thought she should leave the committee.

She'd have to miss meetings when treatment took a toll on her body. And the town is entering yet another tumultuous budget season.

But her fellow committee members weren't hearing it.

"When you said you might resign," FinCom member Frank Heath told her at the committee's meeting on Wednesday, "we told you we'd support you."

What happened next, well, was a bit unexpected.

On Wednesday, FinCom members Larry McDonald and Dominic Cammarano showed up with bald heads -- to match Bronk's.

The rest of the committee donned hats and wore pink -- the color that symbolizes support for breast cancer research.

McDonald's wife, Liz, made Bronk a pink scarf, and passed out pink ribbons with tiny red hearts for all attendees to wear. All wore caps.

Town Moderator Claire Smith doled out candy shaped like pink ribbons, and, along with Liz McDonald, filled a basket full of comforting goodies for Bronk.

And before the meeting opened, FinCom member Marilyn Donahue asked Bronk to swap her hat for a new one -- one that read "Madam Chair" in pink, cursive embroidery.

Bronk was humbled.

"I just want to thank everyone for their love and support," she said. "It lifts one's heart right up to receive the love and support that I received from you all."

The Finance Committee members even got their guests of the evening -- the School Committee -- to wear hats.

"This is probably the largest group that we've had at our Finance Committee the entire three years that I've been here," Heath said.

Ready to get down to business, Bronk opened the meeting.

"Thank you very, very much," she said. "Let's move on with the meeting, kick some butt, and get these schools what they need."