Think Pink

UNH and SCSU did and it paid off

The University of New Haven Department of Athletics has announced that fund raising proceeds from the 2010 Pink Zone® event have reached a record of more than $3,500.

As part of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's national initiative, which promotes breast cancer awareness, UNH will present checks to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fun and the Hospital of Saint Raphael's Father Michael J. McGivney Center for Cancer Care, organiers said in a statement.

With the joint efforts of Southern Connecticut State University, the UNH Pink Zone® initiative kicked off early last week with the sales of Pink Zone® Naming Ribbons and Pink Zone T-shirts on the UNH and SCSU campuses, the statement said.

The city of West Haven also sold Pink Zone® Naming Ribbons at City Hall.

With proceeds and a generous donation, West Haven added a $1,000 to the 2010 WBCA/Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

Sales of the ribbons and T-shirts, with other donations, which included a $100 donation from UNH professor Henry Lee, show with Deborah Chin, UNH Director of Athletics, brought 2010 proceeds to more than $3,500, the statement said. The 2010 mark broke last year's record of $2,500, the statement said. Organizers said special thanks goes to all the 2010 Pink Zone® sponsors for their support of breast cancer awareness:

Office of Student Activities, Office of Residential Life, Department of Athletics, Southern Connecticut State Athletics, Texas Roadhouse, Fireside Bar & Grill,Equinox Diner, Jones Beach Lifeguard Corps, Sodexo Dining Services, city of West Haven, SMILEStudent Athlete Advisory Committee, Emanon Dance Crew, UNH Cheerleaders, UNH Elite Step Team, and UNH Pep Band.

The WBCA began the WBCA Pink Zone®, formerly known as "Think Pink", in 2007 as an initiative to raise breast cancer awareness in women's basketball, on campuses and in communities the statement said.

Kay Yow, former North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach, served as the "catalyst for the initiative after her third reoccurrence of breast cancer in 2006," the statement said.

In 2007, more than 120 schools unified for this effort and helped make the inaugural year a success.

In 2008, over 1,200 teams and organizations participated, reaching over 830,000 fans and raising over $930,000 for breast cancer awareness and research. The 2009 campaign raised over $1.3 million, reached more than 912,000 fans, unified more than 1,600 participating teams and organizations, and saw 56+ schools break attendance records at their event.

For more information on the WBCA Pink Zone®, visit www.wbca.org/pinkzone.org.

The 2010 Pink Zone® event is part of the UNH Department of Athletics broader community engagement efforts, which seeks to help the surrounding towns and community organizations while providing opportunities for student-athletes, coaches and fans to give back to their communities, the statement saidHave an idea? Contact UNH Associate Director of Athletics, Susan Zawacki at szawacki@newhaven.edu.

Editor's note: Elm City Express is pleased to share this information - only lightly edited - provided courtesy of UNH.