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WNMU Dig for the Cure Campaign Kicks Off
Dig for the Cure Campaign Kicks Off
by Victoria Stimac, Western New Mexico Sports Information Director
SILVER CITY, N.M. -- August 21, 2008 -- With the month of October designated as National Breast Cancer Awareness month, head coach Jim Callender and the Western New Mexico University volleyball team will start a tradition to support this worthy cause with the Dig for the Cure campaign.
The Mustangs have designated their three matches the weekend of October 16 as the team's "Dig for the Cure" weekend. Individual sponsors pledge money per dig earned by the Mustangs over the three matches on October 16, 17, and 18, or can make a flat donation for the cause. The money raised by the team will go directly to the Central New Mexico Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
In addition to the pledges, pink "Dig for the Cure" WNMU Volleyball t-shirts will be available the entire month of October. All proceeds of the t-shirts will also go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The cost of the t-shirts are $10.00.
Why not save money? Buy admission to the game and a t-shirt for $15.00.
"We are excited to work for this great cause," says Callender. "It allows the team the opportunity to assist in finding a cure of a disease that affects women daily."
People wishing to contribute monetary donations to the WNMU Dig for the Cure campaign can fill out a pledge sheet online or at a WNMU home volleyball match. You can also contact assistant coach Terra Strain at (575) 538-6236 or straint1@wnmu.edu or Victoria Stimac at (575) 538-6214 or hueninkv@wnmu.edu.
Originally started in 2003 by Charlotte head coach Lisa Marston, the Dig for the Cure campaign raised over $230,000 in 2007.
"My mother is a breast cancer survivor, and I wanted to combine my volleyball program's community service project with a company that helped her to survive and others like her," says Marston. "Therefore, I started Dig for the Cure with just my program at Charlotte. In the following years, I was able to get my conferences involved. Consequently, the word has gotten out and the effort has grown from my Division I program in 2003 to over 90 programs across the country in all divisions and high schools."
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was established in 1982 by Nancy Brinker to honor the memory of her sister, Susan G. Komen, who died from breast cancer at the age of 36. Today, the Foundation is an international organization with a network of more than 75,000 volunteers working through local affiliates and events like the Komen Race for the Cure® to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease. Together with its Affiliate Network, corporate partners and generous donors, the Komen Foundation has raised more than $740 million for the fight against breast cancer.
For more information, call the National Toll-Free Breast Care Helpline at 1-800-I'M AWARE® or visit www.komen.org.
