Pink shirts were the norm at Berner Middle School in the Massapequa School District on Oct. 17, which was the annual Think Pink day for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Students wore their Berner Thinks Pink T-shirts which were sold by the Student Council as a fundraiser for breast cancer organizations. This year featured a new design with pink lettering on black shirts. Teachers did face painting for small donations, with popular designs including pink ribbons and pink eyeblack lines.

Oct. 17 also marked the first day of Think Pink home games for Berner’s athletic teams. Each team devoted one home game in late October to the cause, with money raised going towards the district’s overall donation to the Side-Out Foundation. Most teams held bake sales to raise money.

Last year, Berner’s fundraising effort netted approximately $9,500 for breast cancer causes, which included T-shirt sales, face painting, athletic contests and homeroom collections. Donations have increased every year since the first Think Pink day in 2010.

 

Photo Captions:

 

1: Students and staff at Berner Middle School wore their new Berner Thinks Pink T-shirts as a fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

2: Art teacher Heather Cullinan painted seventh-grader Julianna Holmes’s face for a donation for breast cancer research.

3: Players on the middle school girls soccer team dressed up for the cause.

 

Photos courtesy of the Massapequa School District

 

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and East Islip High School’s boys and girls volleyball programs volleyed for a cure by participating in the Side-Out Foundation’s Dig Pink initiative, collectively raising $1,128 during the course of a few weeks for breast cancer awareness.

All teams assisted by selling Dig Pink shirts prior to game days. On Oct. 9 and 10, the boys and girls teams took to the court to help block out cancer. The gym was adorned with inspiring posters, pink donation balls and balloons, and a court outlined in bright pink. Girls team members also raised funds by making baked goods to sell on game day.

“It’s always inspiring to watch a school come together for a great cause,” said girls coach Romina Ackley. “We hope to continue to raise awareness and fundraise.”

“I am so glad that the boys wanted to get involved in the Dig Pink games,” said boys coach Laura O’Donnell. “We often forget that men too are at risk for breast cancer. The participation of the boys and their families in this fight unites all of us at East Islip in supporting a great cause.”

 

DSC_0034, DSC_0109, MTM_4410: East Islip High School’s boys and girls volleyball programs raised $1,128 for breast cancer awareness participating in the Side-Out Foundation’s Dig Pink initiative.

 

Photos courtesy of the East Islip School District

 

The Meadow Drive School community, part of the Mineola Union Free School District, raised more than $2,800 this fall for JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes. The JDRF walk is held annually and has become an international effort, raising nearly $5 billion for researching a cure and supporting the Type 1 Diabetes community. Several Meadow staff members and students participated in the official JDRF walk in October.

 

Photo caption: Marcelo Patron, a second-grade student at Meadow Drive who is diabetic and whose family is very involved with the organization, is pictured in front of the wall bearing the names of all who donated to the cause from Meadow Drive.

 

Photo courtesy of Mineola Union Free School District

  

The Warriors took on the fight against breast cancer as Amityville Memorial High School athletic teams raised nearly $750 during October which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Money was donated to various causes that support research and assist patients.

The girls varsity soccer team played their Kicks for Cancer home game on Oct. 15 against neighboring Copiague. It culminated a fundraising effort which included selling raffle tickets for various prizes and hosting a bake sale. The girls wore special uniforms with pink lettering along with pink socks hair ribbons. The fence adjoining the field was adorned with pink streamers and pink and white balloons.

“They were enthusiastic about it and wanted to help the cause,” said head coach Angela Steiger.

That same afternoon, the girls junior varsity and varsity volleyball teams held their Dig Pink games against Islip. The team sold baked goods, pink lemonade and pink “Just Cure It” shirts to raise money. Amityville was among dozens of high schools participating in the Dig Pink initiative which supports the Side-Out Foundation.

 

Photo Captions:

1: The Amityville Memorial High School girls varsity volleyball team, led by head coach Julie Dexter, held its Dig Pink game on Oct. 15 to raise money for breast cancer research.

2: Players on the Warriors girls soccer team wore pink to support the cause during their Kicks for Cancer game.

 

Photo courtesy of the Amityville Union Free School District

Hauppauge High School recently held on October 2nd, a very special fundraiser that is dear to their hearts. “Kicks for Cancer” began at Hauppauge High School in 2008 as a way to honor and support Hauppauge HS student, Courtney Tomkin, a Junior who was diagnosed with brain cancer the previous Spring. The summer after Courtney was diagnosed, Hauppauge Girls Varsity Soccer Goalkeeper, Alexis Gonzalez, went to Jessica Kulesa, her coach, asking how the team could put something together to help Courtney and her family. It was during that conversation that “Kicks for Cancer” was born. The following was written by Courtney’s father, Daryl Tomkin: “That fall, she ran out onto the field facing an uphill battle. You wouldn’t have guessed by the big smile on her face as she greeted her teammates in the middle of the field. It was the day her friends and this community stood by her side and developed “Kicks for Cancer”. This community was a place she loved to call her home. “Kicks for Cancer” meant the world to Courtney and to us, her family. Courtney was brave and courageous beyond her years and she knew that her time here was going to be cut short. We are all put to Earth for our life for however many years it is. For Courtney, it was a life that had hardly begun, but that’s not how she described it. For Courtney it “was 17 great years”. Our daughter, your sister, your friend, your student, taught us to look at the world through better eyes, to take time to enjoy life’s simple joys. She set about creating special and memorable moments. She made every day count. “Kick’s for Cancer” allowed her to see just how much love she was going to take with her. Courtney’s life ended on December 13th, 2008, but she left us a lifetime of fond moments, precious memories and so much love. Our life as a family will be forever changed and our hearts broken for having lost a daughter and a sister as special as Courtney. We take pride in knowing, however, that her life meant something to all of you who share in this event. So we wish to thank you for making this event in honor of Courtney, and for loving her and missing her as much as we do. Courtney was so proud of the Hauppauge Girls Varsity Soccer Team. Their love, generosity and friendship were unbelievable and meant the world to her. We hope that Kicks for Cancer continues to grow, that the proceeds will benefit other children suffering the terrible tragedy of Cancer, and that someday this charitable event will help in finding a cure.” This event has become incredibly successful, growing more and more each year with the help of our entire Hauppauge Soccer family. The money raised by the event is split amongst American Cancer Society, American Lung Assoc. Making Headway Foundation, and Make a Wish.

Funds were raised in many ways. “Bounce Bracelets” were sold for unlimited Bounce rides, obstacle courses, slides and more. Face painting was included. Raffle Tickets were also sold. Also available for sale were sweatshirt hoodies, sweatpants, t-shirts, blankets and sunglasses. Thank you to everyone who attended and supported this worthwhile event!

 

https://www.hauppauge.k12.ny.us/cms/lib/NY01913704/Centricity/Domain/4/Horizons%20Volume%202%20Issue%205%20for%2010.12.18.pdf