Number of Participants: 55
Hours Donated: 10
Value of Time Served: $19,135
Event Amount Raised: $350
Event Type: Health & Medicine
Activity: Girls Volleyball
School: Orono High School
Date: September 28, 2026
Location:
Orono High School
Old Crystal Bay Road North, Orono
MN
About:
The Orono Spartans Volleyball program kicked off Homecoming Week with its annual Dig Pink Night, welcoming Waconia for a special evening dedicated to breast cancer awareness, community support, and giving back.
A total of 55 student-athletes participated in the event, coming together to honor breast cancer survivors, those currently fighting the disease, and loved ones who have been lost.
With the support of the school and surrounding community, the event raised $350, with proceeds benefiting the Side-Out Research Program, which supports breast cancer research.
While the evening receives strong support from the Orono Volleyball Booster Club, the student-athletes also play an important role in bringing the event to life. The players help create social media posts to promote the night and encourage donations, recognize family members and friends who have been impacted by breast cancer, and make signs honoring those individuals.
The girls also take part in designing the special shirts worn and sold for the event, with proceeds helping support the cause. They even coordinate their accessories for the night, helping turn the gym pink while keeping the meaning behind the event front and center.
This year’s Dig Pink Night was also held in conjunction with Youth Night, giving the Spartans another opportunity to connect with younger athletes in their community. The players decorated volleyballs to give to the young girls attending the match and stayed after the game to sign posters for them to take home.
The annual tradition allows Orono Volleyball to use the excitement of Homecoming Week to rally around a cause that has touched so many families, while also inspiring the next generation of athletes.
Through their involvement in planning, promoting, fundraising, recognizing loved ones, and connecting with younger players, the Spartans showed that leadership extends well beyond what happens on the court.
The evening was a meaningful combination of school spirit, service, awareness, and community connection, reminding everyone that some of the most important victories happen outside the game.
