Philanthropic and pretty in pink. On October 20, the Massapequa High School varsity and junior varsity girls’ volleyball teams played a rousing set of matches against Baldwin High School for the Dig Pink Event for which all proceeds went to the Side-Out Foundation.
The event was not just a single night of waging war against specifically breast cancer through just volleyball games, but instead a breast cancer fighting initiative. This major humanitarian event included a remembrance ceremony for those deceased, an exchange of pink carnations, an address from the American Cancer Society, and speeches from three prominent local politicians.
The varsity girls, coached by Mrs. Carol Ann Habeeb-Kiel, defeated the Bruins 25-15 and 25-21 in two exhilarating and action-packed matches. The junior varsity participants, coached by Mr. Thomas Sheedy, triumphed over the Baldwin girls 26-6 and 25-8 in their own set of thrilling games.
The games were meaningful in different ways to attendees. For parent Dr. Joseph Heimbauer, “seeing both of our daughters play on the same team” was one of his favorite parts of the gathering.
The Massapequa players received flowers that they swapped with Baldwin participants as a symbol of the camaraderie we must approach the fight against cancer with, the disease that one in four individuals will be diagnosed with sometime in their lives.
“Together, we can change the odds and celebrate more birthdays,” said an organizer of Dig Pink. The pink carnations serve as “a reminder that we can make a difference,” according to a coordinator of this empowering event.
The JV and varsity girls’ volleyball teams aren’t the only ones making strides against the illness that plagues 14 million people annually. More than ten varsity and junior varsity athletic teams also helped the cause, raising a grand total of 2,077.98 dollars throughout the September and October for the American Cancer Society. The players predominantly raised money by asking for donations at the beginning of classes. These teams included boys’ JV and varsity volleyball, girls’ and boys’ cross-country, girls’ varsity tennis, girls’ JV and varsity soccer, and girls’ and boys’ JV and varsity field hockey.
A spokesperson from the American Cancer Society expressed the gratitude of the organization. “You never know which dollar is going to be the dollar that finds the cure.”
Legislator Michael Venditto and Assemblyman Joseph Saladino made appearances as well, praising the integrity and importance of Dig Pink.
“We will one day bump, set. and spike it out of our lives,” Mr. Venditto said regarding cancer.
“I know everybody’s a winner when we all fight together,” Mr. Saladino said of the pride and fellowship demonstrated at this function.
Towards the end of the lively and eventful evening, a rapid donation collection was carried out in a minute and thirty-four seconds, signifying that statistically, 94 people died from cancer over the course of the event.
No matter who you were at this event: a volleyball player, a parent, a student, a politician, a cancer survivor, or one who may currently be battling this prolific and harrowing disease. By the end of the night, you were convinced that truly, “We are powerful in pink.”