Senator Athletics at Davis & Elkins College and Elkins Fordland have announced several events and activities designed to raise money for local and national breast cancer organizations during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness month.
The "Be Bold. Think Pink." campaign is a way for D&E College students, faculty and staff to become involved and help raise money and awareness for breast cancer. The partnership with Elkins Fordland was a natural choice given the commitment the Ford Motor Co. has made to breast cancer awareness through its Warriors in Pink program.
Ford Motor Co. has been active in the fight against breast cancer since 1991. It introduced Warriors in Pink in 2006 with a line of specialty clothing and accessories. One-hundred percent of the net proceeds from the sale of Warriors in Pink merchandise goes directly to charities that offer a wide range of support to the cause.
"Our goal is to not only raise money but to encourage open conversations about breast cancer all month long," said Jim Jackson, president and owner of Elkins Fordland, in a news release. "Everything I've read says that awareness of the symptoms can lead to earlier detection and diagnosis. Ford's dedication to breast cancer has resulted in over $115 million to the cause. This local partnership is our way to help make a difference."
Fundraising activities kicked off earlier this month with the Mountain State Forest Festival Grand Feature Parade. Elkins Fordland entered five decaled Warriors in Pink cars driven by D&E students representing various campus organizations. The entry also included assistant women's soccer coach Cory Wagner, head coach Raul Ovalle, his family and members of the D&E Women's Soccer Team.
"Be Bold. Think Pink." T-shirts are being sold at Senator Soccer matches, the campus cafeteria and upon request as a way to raise additional funds for the cause. Donated by Elkins Fordland, 100 percent of proceeds from the sale of these T-shirts will be donated to local and national breast cancer organizations.
Festivities will continue with a Paintball Challenge sponsored by Hunters Haven. The single elimination competition is set for 10 a.m. this Saturday at the D&E College paintball course. The Paintball Challenge will be limited to eight teams and advance registration is required. Teams may consist of anywhere from five to 10 members each, with paintball guns, helmets and ammo provided by the college. Prizes will be awarded thanks to donations by Wendy's and Applebee's of Elkins. Organized by the Student Veterans Association, 100 percent of the Paintball Challenge proceeds will go to breast cancer awareness organizations. Registration forms are available online at SenatorNation.com.
Finally, Senator Athletics has designed a pledge program to complement the monthlong fundraising campaign. The pledges are designed to help raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation as well as local initiatives coordinated by the Davis Memorial Hospital Cancer Care Center. The pledge campaign revolves around the success of many of D&E's fall sports and encourages donors to pledge support for breast cancer by contributing any amount based upon the successful completion of a specific task of a Senator team. Pledges can be based on goals made by men's or women's soccer, aces by the tennis team, kills by the volleyball team or birdies by the golf team. Participants can follow their favorite fall sport and track their contribution through the D&E Athletic website, www.SenatorNation.com.
More information regarding any of the "Be Bold. Think Pink." fundraising events is available by contacting Cary Sponaugle at 304-637-1252. Paintball Challenge registration forms and team pledge forms are available at www.SenatorNation.com and can be found under the "Support Athletics" tab.
