Number of Participants: 50
Hours Donated: 8
Value of Time Served: $13,916
Event Amount Raised: $19,000
Event Type: Health & Medicine
Activity: Football
School: Hill-Murray School
Date: September 8, 2026
Location:
Hill-Murray School
Larpenteur Avenue East, Maplewood
MN
About:
The Hill-Murray Football team has once again shown the powerful impact student-athletes can make when they rally around a cause bigger than the game.
Through this season’s Tackle Cancer campaign, the Pioneers raised an incredible $24,065 for the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund — more than double the amount the team raised last year.
Players spent the campaign reaching out to family members, friends, and supporters, collecting donations while also honoring the many people in their lives who have been impacted by cancer.
For senior Evan Curtis, the effort carried a deeply personal meaning.
Evan raised $2,005, surpassing last year’s total by $785. As part of the campaign, he will proudly carry the names of those who supported him on the back of his shirt throughout the remainder of his senior season.
His connection to the cause extends far beyond fundraising. Evan wears #22 in both football and soccer in honor of his Grandpop, who passed away from a rare and aggressive form of cancer. His family has also been affected by breast cancer, including a cousin currently battling stage 4 breast cancer after previously reaching remission nearly a decade ago.
Cancer has also touched the Hill-Murray football family directly. Evan’s teammate Jack is a childhood cancer survivor who overcame a rare form of the disease, making the team’s support of Tackle Cancer even more meaningful.
What began as a challenge for individual players quickly became a teamwide effort fueled by personal stories, shared experiences, and the desire to make a difference.
By raising more than $19,000, Hill-Murray Football demonstrated what can happen when athletes, families, fans, and an entire community come together behind one cause.
For Evan and his teammates, the campaign was about more than reaching a fundraising goal. It was about honoring survivors, remembering loved ones, supporting those still fighting, and helping fund the continued fight against cancer.
The Pioneers will carry that message with them as they continue their season, proudly representing the many names and stories behind their remarkable fundraising effort.
