Number of Participants: 29
Hours Donated: 18
Value of Time Served: $4,411
Event Amount Raised: $5,390
Event Type: Health & Medicine
Sport: Volleyball
School: North Salem Middle/ High School
Date: October 19, 2024
Location:
North Salem Central Middle/High School
June Road, North Salem
NY
About:
For over a decade, the North Salem Volleyball program has been partnering with the Side-Out Foundation during the month of October to partake in their Dig Pink fundraiser. By partaking in this fundraiser we help to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. Every dollar we raise helps to fuel a groundbreaking research program that focuses specifically on patients battling metastatic breast cancer – the most challenging form of the disease. Not only did we supporting a great cause, but the student-athletes were able to learn about leadership, advocacy, and how to give back to their surrounding community.
We held multiple events during the month of October to spread our campaign. On Sunday, October 6, we held our third annual Coffee for a Cure event at Bobo’s Café in Somers, NY. At this event, we ask customers for donations. In exchange, we give them a pink lid and Bobo’s covers the cost of their coffee or hot chocolate. This newer tradition has been a success and it is really incredible how the surrounding towns support our initiative and donate to our cause. The conversations that we had with members of other communities was heartwarming as they shared their own personal experiences with breast cancer with us.
We began a new tradition this year in which we got our elementary school involved in our campaign. On Wednesday, October 9 and Thursday, October 10, a handful of the Varsity volleyball team pushed in on library time at Pequenakonck Elementary School. We visited grades K-5 and did an activity with them in which the students colored in pink ribbons. We explained to the students how we support a fundraiser every October whose symbol is a pink ribbon. We also explained how we decorate the high school with pink streamers, we wear pink t-shirts, and we even play with pink volleyballs. After the students colored in the ribbons, we helped them cut them out, hole punch them, and create a ribbon pennant using string. We then made our way back to the high school and hung up the elementary students’ artwork in the hallway leading to our gymnasium.
On Saturday, October 12, we held our annual Car Wash at the Croton Falls Fire Station. In exchange for any donation that a customer was comfortable paying, the players on the JV and Varsity volleyball teams washed the cars. The girls took turns washing, advertising the car wash near the road, and running the concession stand. It was a day full of hard work for a great cause!
Leading up to our Dig Pink game, the Boys and Girls Varsity Soccer teams supported our cause by hosting their own Pink Out Games. At these games, the volleyball team worked a concession stand at the turf, while the soccer teams encouraged their fans to wear pink and to donate. Boys Soccer had their game on Wednesday, October 9, and Girls Soccer had their game on Wednesday, October 16.
Our Dig Pink game took place on Saturday, October 19. It was a day full of pink, fundraising, and playing for a cause much bigger than high school volleyball. The visiting team, Putnam Valley, supported us by wearing pink ribbons in their hair. While we did not win our game that day, we acknowledged how much more important it was to come together with a rival team and actively help individuals living with cancer have more tomorrows.
Our goal was to raise $5,000 this year, and we successfully surpassed our goal. We cannot wait to keep continuing this tradition and look forward to every October. The link to our fundraising page can be found here.
