By David Slone
Times-Union
WARSAW — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but Pink Out night at the Warsaw Community High School football game on Friday was about walking alongside those fighting any type of cancer.
At halftime of the game against Northridge, the pink-wearing cheer block – and anyone else from Warsaw or Northridge who wanted to join in – took a lap around the Tiger Athletic Complex track.
WCHS senior Ellie Hepler said, “Pink Out is just a way for us to show support for people who are battling cancer and that have battled cancer. Just show that we are all here for them and we want them to do their best.”
WCHS’s cheer block has a Cancer Care Fund, and proceeds from the sale of Pink Out T-shirts go to that.
“We have a Cancer Care Fund here that the cheer block runs, and so, basically, we donate money to people that are currently battling cancer and people that have battled cancer, and (funds raised) go back into the Cancer Care Fund,” Hepler said.
As their advisor, Dr. Rachael Hoffert helps the cheer block decide who may need the funds the most, Hepler explained.
“The money raised goes to anyone with any type of cancer that has a need,” Rachael stated. “So we’ve helped bus drivers, we’ve helped teachers, we’ve helped families in Warsaw Community Schools, with parents battling cancer. And what’s really neat about the fund is the request goes to the cheer block, and then they decide how they can walk alongside, whether that be through an American Table meal gift card, funds for transportation to and from appointments – whatever it is to say we’re going to walk alongside of you in this journey and we know it’s hard but we’re here for you.”
Matt Binkerd, WCHS athletic director, said Rachael, Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert’s wife, was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago and that helped spur the creation and growth of Pink Out night and the Cancer Care Fund at the school.
“I think that kind of stemmed the motivation, ‘Hey, let’s go ahead and get some things started’ because she’s not alone and she realized other people and Warsaw Community Schools (WCS) also were dealing with different types of cancers, and … just ‘How can we fight?’ and have the cheer block and the students be involved and raise some funds,” he said.
WCS has a Google nomination form for the entire corporation for the administration team, he said. “So when we hear about somebody that might be fighting or dealing with some type of cancer, they put them in there and then we have the committee,” Binkerd said.
Along with the T-shirt proceeds going to the Cancer Care Fund, he said Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital sponsored the cost of the shirts so that wrote off the cost of the shirts. During Friday night’s football game against Northridge, the cheerleaders also sold ribbons, and pink socks were sold.
Friday night was the third annual Pink Out.
Rachael stated, “We’re just so thankful to host another Pink Out night. As a survivor, it just gives me a lot of courage to see our cheer block come out and support cancer awareness, and we are just excited that they are able to give back through our Cancer Care Fund. It’s impacted many families in our community, and we are just so thankful for our sponsors.”
This is the third year that Kari Vilamaa has sponsored Pink Out night.
“Lutheran Health has sponsored our T-shirts this year. Tri Kappa, A & G Beauty and then Warsaw Dunkin’ (Donuts) really stepped up this year and donated over 400 doughnuts with the breast cancer ribbon on it to give out and also to put in our concession stand with proceeds going to the Cancer Care Fund,” Rachael said. “So we’re very blessed and we’re so thankful that we can help those in our community going through this journey.”
Pink Out is important to Hepler personally, she stated, because a lot of her family have battled cancer.
“I just know that it does have such a big impact in everyone’s lives, so just knowing that there’s a lot of people that want to be here and support everyone that’s battling cancer and that have battled cancer, it’s really special,” she said.
“I am just really grateful that we’re able to show the support for the community and just kind of be there, even if we can’t physically do anything to help. Just knowing that we’re able to raise money for people who really need it. It’s a really important night for us,” Hepler said.
