Post by airitout616 on Aug 19, 2008 1:28:41 GMT -6
Lowell football thinks pink to help fight cancer LOWELL, MI-- Randy Hogan will play in memory of his mother, Sandy Hogan, who died of colon cancer four years ago. Cole Wade will do the same for his grandmother, Carol Reagan, who died from cancer last fall.
On Sept. 12, the Lowell High School football team will suit up in pink jerseys and compete against breast cancer in the Lowell Pink Arrow Project.
The Lowell Red Arrows will become the Pink Arrows during Week No. 3 of the high school football season to honor breast cancer survivors and victims and their families in their season home opener. All proceeds for the game against Holland High will benefit three community efforts in the fight against cancer. "I feel a lot of pride in this, that the team is doing this," said Hogan, a three-year starting linebacker, who will have his mother's name emblazoned on the back of his special pink jersey.
"The whole community is involved, and it means so much to me."
More than 10,000 are expected at the game, which could raise more than $50,000 for breast cancer awareness. All proceeds will be split between two scholarship funds and Lowell Community Wellness, a nonprofit that will help support breast cancer victims and families in town.
"I have never been involved with anything of this kind before," said Lowell coach Noel Dean, who came up with the idea while watching quarterback Brett Favre's wife, Deanna, sport a pink jersey at an NFL game. "It is an exciting event. It shows that there is more to high school football than football.
"I thought this would be a unique way to get us back to our roots, to what really matters. This whole project has been amazing. There is a sense that there is a greater good, and I like that."
The 2008 season kicked off Monday for area teams, including Lowell, with three days of conditioning practice. And while the Red Arrows are focusing on playing at Davison for the Aug. 28 season opener, there is more to this season than football.
"It is a different atmosphere for a game, and there will be more pressure to play well," said Wade, a senior tight end.
Added his mother, Patty Wade, whose mother, Carol Reagan, died from lymphoma and will be honored on the back of her son's jersey: "This is just huge. It is really neat that the team and Coach Dean are doing this. Having lost someone to cancer, it is just so touching that everyone is coming together to fight this."
Community residents -- such as Amy Hayes, whose downtown retail store Pep Talk is selling the special pink Arrow Force Pride T-shirts -- are an important part of the night. The T-shirts will allow anyone into the game, and names of cancer victims or survivors can be stenciled on the back.
"It is going to be a mad house," Hayes said. "This whole thing has been so amazing so far."
Added his mother, Patty Wade, whose mother, Carol Reagan, died from lymphoma and will be honored on the back of her son's jersey: "This is just huge. It is really neat that the team and Coach Dean are doing this. Having lost someone to cancer, it is just so touching that everyone is coming together to fight this."
Community residents -- such as Amy Hayes, whose downtown retail store Pep Talk is selling the special pink Arrow Force Pride T-shirts -- are an important part of the night. The T-shirts will allow anyone into the game, and names of cancer victims or survivors can be stenciled on the back.
"It is going to be a mad house," Hayes said. "This whole thing has been so amazing so far."
Many players' families are planning to buy their commemorative game jerseys for $200 each. However, 10 players have donated their jerseys to a special silent auction, which concludes the night before the season opener, Aug. 27. Those jerseys already have fetched $7,000, but the bidding is expected to escalate.
"This is bringing the community and the team together," said Kyle Nichol, the team's senior quarterback. "While we are really focusing on playing Davison right now, supporting this cause in our community is really important to us. We are excited to be part of it."
Lacks Cancer Center at Saint Mary's Health Care has pledged $6,000 to the project and plans to renew the pledge for two more years. One-third of the game's proceeds will go to the Kathy Talus Memorial Scholarship, named in honor of a former Lowell teacher and coach who lost her battle with breast cancer four years ago. Another one-third will be awarded as a scholarship to a local medical student in honor of longtime team physician, Dr. Donald Gerard.
The Lowell Wellness Center, directed by trainer Patty Sellner, will receive the other one-third.
"Lacks is in partnership with Lowell on this project, and they are committed to helping us educate the community on breast cancer," Sellner said. "They will work with us on things like prevention, nutrition and exercise. We will have the opportunity to do so much."
Former Lowell football player Ken Palcowski also has involved his employer, Arbor Mortgage, which will provide monetary support. A number of other businesses are calling daily to inquire how to help, Sellner said.
"I think this is a great project," said Palcowski, a 2001 graduate. "This is a great way for all of us to give back."
www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-43/1218546938168210.xml&coll=6&thispage=2
On Sept. 12, the Lowell High School football team will suit up in pink jerseys and compete against breast cancer in the Lowell Pink Arrow Project.
The Lowell Red Arrows will become the Pink Arrows during Week No. 3 of the high school football season to honor breast cancer survivors and victims and their families in their season home opener. All proceeds for the game against Holland High will benefit three community efforts in the fight against cancer. "I feel a lot of pride in this, that the team is doing this," said Hogan, a three-year starting linebacker, who will have his mother's name emblazoned on the back of his special pink jersey.
"The whole community is involved, and it means so much to me."
More than 10,000 are expected at the game, which could raise more than $50,000 for breast cancer awareness. All proceeds will be split between two scholarship funds and Lowell Community Wellness, a nonprofit that will help support breast cancer victims and families in town.
"I have never been involved with anything of this kind before," said Lowell coach Noel Dean, who came up with the idea while watching quarterback Brett Favre's wife, Deanna, sport a pink jersey at an NFL game. "It is an exciting event. It shows that there is more to high school football than football.
"I thought this would be a unique way to get us back to our roots, to what really matters. This whole project has been amazing. There is a sense that there is a greater good, and I like that."
The 2008 season kicked off Monday for area teams, including Lowell, with three days of conditioning practice. And while the Red Arrows are focusing on playing at Davison for the Aug. 28 season opener, there is more to this season than football.
"It is a different atmosphere for a game, and there will be more pressure to play well," said Wade, a senior tight end.
Added his mother, Patty Wade, whose mother, Carol Reagan, died from lymphoma and will be honored on the back of her son's jersey: "This is just huge. It is really neat that the team and Coach Dean are doing this. Having lost someone to cancer, it is just so touching that everyone is coming together to fight this."
Community residents -- such as Amy Hayes, whose downtown retail store Pep Talk is selling the special pink Arrow Force Pride T-shirts -- are an important part of the night. The T-shirts will allow anyone into the game, and names of cancer victims or survivors can be stenciled on the back.
"It is going to be a mad house," Hayes said. "This whole thing has been so amazing so far."
Added his mother, Patty Wade, whose mother, Carol Reagan, died from lymphoma and will be honored on the back of her son's jersey: "This is just huge. It is really neat that the team and Coach Dean are doing this. Having lost someone to cancer, it is just so touching that everyone is coming together to fight this."
Community residents -- such as Amy Hayes, whose downtown retail store Pep Talk is selling the special pink Arrow Force Pride T-shirts -- are an important part of the night. The T-shirts will allow anyone into the game, and names of cancer victims or survivors can be stenciled on the back.
"It is going to be a mad house," Hayes said. "This whole thing has been so amazing so far."
Many players' families are planning to buy their commemorative game jerseys for $200 each. However, 10 players have donated their jerseys to a special silent auction, which concludes the night before the season opener, Aug. 27. Those jerseys already have fetched $7,000, but the bidding is expected to escalate.
"This is bringing the community and the team together," said Kyle Nichol, the team's senior quarterback. "While we are really focusing on playing Davison right now, supporting this cause in our community is really important to us. We are excited to be part of it."
Lacks Cancer Center at Saint Mary's Health Care has pledged $6,000 to the project and plans to renew the pledge for two more years. One-third of the game's proceeds will go to the Kathy Talus Memorial Scholarship, named in honor of a former Lowell teacher and coach who lost her battle with breast cancer four years ago. Another one-third will be awarded as a scholarship to a local medical student in honor of longtime team physician, Dr. Donald Gerard.
The Lowell Wellness Center, directed by trainer Patty Sellner, will receive the other one-third.
"Lacks is in partnership with Lowell on this project, and they are committed to helping us educate the community on breast cancer," Sellner said. "They will work with us on things like prevention, nutrition and exercise. We will have the opportunity to do so much."
Former Lowell football player Ken Palcowski also has involved his employer, Arbor Mortgage, which will provide monetary support. A number of other businesses are calling daily to inquire how to help, Sellner said.
"I think this is a great project," said Palcowski, a 2001 graduate. "This is a great way for all of us to give back."
www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-43/1218546938168210.xml&coll=6&thispage=2
