Adversity. Most of us have handled or been dealt our fair share of it.
It’s about as unpredictable an aspect of life there is, one that simply nobody can eschew. No one gets through life unscathed.
Quinnipiac has constantly taken significant steps towards fighting breast cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in America.
According to the National Cancer Institute, roughly 178,480 and 2,030 cases of breast cancer surfaced last year between women and men, respectively.
QU programs and fundraisers have been launched, money has been donated and research programs have received considerable contributions. Fraternities, clubs and recently-installed programs alike have done their part in helping fight and raise awareness to breast cancer.
On Feb. 22, however, thanks to the efforts of Quinnipiac junior Jackie Herb, an event that may be head-and-shoulders above others of its kind will be installed. It is promising on more fronts than one.
Herb and senior Roger Fish, the president and co-president of S.A.A.C. (Student Athletic Advisory Committee), respectively, will host the inaugural “Pink Out.”
The event is designed to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The “For The Cure” foundation maintains a high-order commitment to “curing breast cancer at every stage-from the causes to the cures, to the pain and anxiety of every moment in between,” according to the program’s website.
Shirts with “Pink Out” emblazed on the front, accompanied by the breast cancer awareness ribbon will be sold for $10 each, prior to the men’s hockey team’s 7 p.m. showdown against Cornell at the TD Banknorth Sports Center.
It’s an event that Herb and Fish, members of the women’s tennis team and men’s lacrosse team, respectively, are certainly giddy about.
“Obviously, if we can get everybody (who attends) to buy one, that’s a good amount of money that we can donate,” Fish, a native of Columbus, Ohio said.
“On another level, we think that this is going to be a great way to promote school spirit. Our hockey team is having great success again, and we feel that we can make this maybe a tradition, that the QU hockey team picks a game each year to have this event. We’ll raise awareness and we’ll raise money,” he said.
Given the record attendance of the Feb. 8 Yale game, this could be a hit. Spirited students and hockey fans willing to help a good cause can cohesively contribute before cheering on their team in the jam-packed stands.
“Wearing a bunch of yellow shirts is one thing. Wearing a bunch of pink shirts that actually mean something, well… we realize that this is something that could set us aside from other college hockey teams and other college traditions,” Fish said.
Herb dug up the idea in the beginning of September. She presented it to Athletic Director Jack McDonald and Tracy Flynn, ironing out the ideas with the Student Alumni Association. All parties were instantly sold.
A pink-clad fan base is certainly envisaged for the evening game. Fish and Herb hope that the seeds they planted for an event of this magnitude will sprout into an annual success.
