Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/22/09
The Penn State Nittany Lion men’s lacrosse team is well into it’s year-long endeavor to make a difference in the lives of cancer victims as it participates in this year’s Relay for Life.
Relay for Life is 24-hour event set to take place this April, but the fundraising for the event occurs all year long. The men’s lacrosse team, under the guidance of head coach Glenn Thiel and assistant coaches Guy VanArsdale and Travis Johnson, raised nearly $1,500 last summer raffling off lacrosse equipment during its summer camps.
The team is distributing of fliers throughout the campus and the State College community to raise awareness for the event and to drive future fundraising efforts.
“We knew we wanted to get involved in something that gave back to the community,” said team captain Drew Adams (Springfield-Delco), a three-time ECAC Lacrosse League Goalie of the Year and preseason All-American. “With coach VanArsdale’s daughter, Mya, being the campus Chairperson for Relay for Life, it was a natural tie for us as we were very aware of what she was doing and what Relay for Life is all about.
“Right now, it’s good for us just to be out there raising awareness for the event,” Adams continued. “It’s amazing how people are willing to help and have an interest in what we are doing.
“Even in these hard economic times, people do what they can because they know that every little bit helps. We’re thankful as a team for the opportunity to help out because there isn’t one guy on this squad who doesn’t know someone who’s been affected by cancer.”
The team is already making plans for activities this winter and spring. A touch football or three-on-three basketball tournament is in the works as well. The team plans to host and run the event on its own.
Friends and family of Penn State’s men’s lacrosse team will also be receiving a newsletter that will encourage them to pledge donations to a specific player, based on points or saves in a game. Relay for Life has become well known for its yearly tributes to all those affected by cancer.
Each year, the event is used to honor people battling the disease and celebrating those who have won their fight. There is an annual Luminaria Ceremony to remember those whose battles were lost.
The national slogan is Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back. This year, Relay for Life is celebrating its 25th Year of Hope and its fifth year of Penn State Pride. The 2009 event will run from 5 p.m. on April 17 to 5 p.m. on April 18 on the fields located off Orchard Road .
The Penn State Relay for Life website can be accessed at http://www.psurelay.org , where interested parties can find all the information they need to get involved as well as links to http://www.RelayForLife.org (the organization’s national website) and http://www.cancer.org (the American Cancer Society’s national site).
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