By Jamie L. Freedman
October is national breast cancer awareness month, and GW athletics is thinking pink.
Throughout the 2009-10 season, Colonials women’s athletic teams will unite in the fight against breast cancer through the GW Women’s Athletics Thinks Pink initiative. All 12 of the University’s women’s teams will sponsor a pink game this season and will sell “GW Women’s Athletics Thinks Pink” T-shirts to generate awareness and funds for breast cancer research.
“The GW Thinks Pink initiative unites our athletes and coaches in the important fight against breast cancer,” says Mary Jo Warner, GW’s senior associate athletic director, who announced the program in late September. “Finding a cure is the ultimate goal, so raising money at the grassroots level can make a difference for women of all ages and backgrounds.”
Five dollars from each T-shirt purchase, as well as a portion of ticket sale proceeds from women’s athletics’ pink games, will be donated to the GW Cancer Institute and other affiliated organizations. Colonial Challenge is offering a variety of prizes to student organizations and groups with the largest number of attendees sporting GW Thinks Pink T-shirts at the designated games.
Prizes include a pizza party for the residence halls with the best attendance at the “Kickin’ it for the Cure” women’s soccer game against Duquesne on Oct. 25 and the “Dig Pink” women’s volleyball game against Temple on Oct. 30. Colonial Challenge is also offering a $100 prize to the student organization with the strongest attendance at the women’s swim team’s pink meet on Dec. 5.