|
Superintendent George Obradovich and High School Principal Brian Wright wear hot pink shirts, which were sold by the boys soccer team to raise funds for breast cancer research.
Kick'n for the Cure  Share
On Thursday, September 17, Beecher High School's Boys' Soccer Team played a special game against Wilmington on the Bobcat field. On each side of the field, a ribbon was painted. The soccer team, along with its coach, Dawn Micele, used this game to highlight a special cause. Players competed in pink jerseys which said, ''Kick'n for a Cure.'' They also wore pink socks and some smeared blush on their cheeks to show that they cared about the many women and few men who are diagnosed with breast cancer. The soccer field was taped off for this special event because a $3 admission fee was collected and concessions were sold, along with T-shirts supporting the cause. All the proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization. Since its inception in 1982, Susan G. Komen for the Cure has become the world's largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to curing breast cancer at every stage - from the causes, to the cures, and to the pain and anxiety of every moment in between. According to the speech given by Coach Micele during half-time, ''Breast cancer knows no boundaries, be it age, socioeconomic status, or race. One out of every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. That one woman could be your grandma, aunt, sister, wife, mother, or even you. For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer besides lung cancer.''
Coach Micele has walked 60 miles in three days in each of the past three years to raise funds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which has invested $1 billion in the fight against breast cancer. Micele claims, ''It is the most amazing experience I have ever had. It gave me a whole new outlook on the pain and suffering breast cancer survivors must endure. I walked among breast cancer survivors and family members and friends of those who lost their battle with cancer. I can tell you this Ð it truly amazed me how these women gathered their strength and fought this awful disease. Since that first walk, I vowed to make an impact and I am glad to say, the boys' soccer team has taken it one step further.'' She further praised her team saying, ''As a coach, I am very proud of the way the team has joined the rally to end breast cancer. It isn't just about wearing pink jerseys today, it is about finding a cure, and I can't thank them or admire them enough when I think about what an awesome thing this is that they are doing. The donations and participation have been overwhelming and for that we thank all of you.'' Prior to Micele's speech, Andy Cavender and Jeremy Johns shared with the audience the history of the pink ribbon which has become an international symbol for breast cancer awareness. Matt Swindeman, Luke Messing, and Matt Gocal also spoke on the subject of breast cancer. On the sidelines, a special area with wicker furniture was prepared for breast cancer survivors who are Beecher soccer enthusiasts. During half-time, Micele recognized some of these survivors, while players presented them with a pink flower: Jacob and Nick Giroux, with their grandma, Linda, who is a nine-year survivor; Jimmy Vandermark and his grandma, Karyn, who is currently fighting the fight; Colin Leahy, with Ms. Janet Dettmer, who is a teacher at the elementary school and a five-year survivor; Giroux and AJ Johns, with Mrs. Linda Herman, who is a secretary at Beecher Elementary and is currently fighting the battle; and finally, Coach Micele's own grandmother, Dolores Pienta, who is a nine-month survivor. The soccer game was a success, not only because of the monies raised for breast cancer but also because of a winning score of 4-0. Giroux had two goals, Gocal had one goal and one assist, Swindeman had one goal, and AJ Johns and Jeremy Johns each had an assist. Goalie Messing had nine saves. The team's record stands at 9-2 after this win. Micele has coached at Beecher High School for nine years. This season is her ninth as the varsity girls coach and her third year as the varsity boys coach. Although her teams have not participated in such a sizeable event previously, Micele thinks it is important for the student-athletes to become active members in society. She proclaimed, ''I am very proud of the work and willingness that [the soccer team has] put into the fundraising efforts. I hope that this commitment can become part of the new tradition we are starting to build for Beecher High School Boys' Soccer!'' Dawn Wolf is a reporter for Russell Publications.
|
This Week's Front Page »
Related Stories »
|
