EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – After raising more than $19,000 at its Breast Cancer Awareness Event this season, the UW-Eau Claire women's volleyball team presented a check to the American Cancer Society at halftime of the Blugold women's basketball game on Saturday (Dec. 10) against UW-Whitewater.
For the second year in a row, the Blugolds partnered with Mayo Clinic Health System and Charter Communications to help facilitate and promote the campaign that raised $19,207.65. A season ago $18,236.98 was raised. In 2008 and 2009, the volleyball team also raised more than $6,300 each season.
This year, a total of 13 area high school volleyball programs joined the fundraising efforts as they hosted their own awareness/fundraising events. Mayo Clinic Health System provided each partner school with informational materials, pink t-shirts and other tools to assist in running their respective events. Teams were invited to celebrate their participation at UW-Eau Claire's Breast Cancer Awareness match, which was held October 19, 2011.
2011 partner schools included: Altoona, Blair-Taylor, Chippewa Falls High School, Eau Claire Immanuel, Eau Claire Memorial, Eau Claire North, Eau Claire Regis, Eleva-Strum, Elk Mound, Fall Creek, Gilmanton, Pepin and Prairie Farm.
"It is a credit to our partner high school programs and our Blugold volleyball student-athletes that we were able to push our total contributions for breast cancer awareness and research to over $50,000 in just four years," Blugold volleyball head coach Kim Wudi said. "As impressive as that number is, we are just as excited that we have been able to raise awareness about breast cancer among volleyball players and fans, many of whom have been directly or indirectly affected by the disease."
At the Blugolds' breast cancer awareness event, health care professionals from Mayo Clinic Health System were on hand to distribute informational materials and answer questions about breast cancer. They sold pink t-shirts and gave away pink water bottles and other prizes during promotions and contests held throughout the match. Charter Communications was also on-site with other contests to help generate excitement among a crowd of more than 900.
The Blugolds' awareness and fundraising campaign was part of an annual Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletics Conference initiative to join the volleyball community together in the fight against breast cancer. Next year's Breast Cancer Awareness is scheduled for Saturday, October 6, 2012 against UW-Oshkosh.
