BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian College is looking back at the 2015-16 athletic campaign with the No. 5 story in Top 10 Stories – the women's basketball team raising over $18,000 for Play 4Kay and being the top NCAA Division III program for the eighth consecutive year.
The Kay Yow Cancer Fund sponsors the contest is an effort to reward Play 4Kay participants who are also raising funds through a grassroots fundraising initiative for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Its primary fundraising support comes from women's basketball teams across the country that dedicate an event to raise funds and awareness for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, an organization committed to funding women's cancer research and supporting projects that assist the underserved community.
"Our expectations were simply to raise as much money as we could for this great cause, but more than that, create as much awareness as possible about cancer research and prevention," explained Head Coach Mary Beth Spirk. "Every year we try to surpass our goal from the previous year, so ultimately we wanted to overtake our 2015 total."
Moravian raised $18,520 this year, the top amount from an NCAA Division III school and the most raised by the Greyhounds in a single year. Moravian was also the top NCAA Division III team in 2015 with $17,038, in 2014 with $12,573, in 2013 with $16,210, in 2012 with $12,025, in 2011 with $5,825 and in 2010 at $6,100. The Greyhounds had a total of $5,200 in 2009 to give Moravian a total of $93,491 raised over the last eight years.
"We take pride in this distinction and want to continue to lead all Division III schools in raising money to find a cure for cancer," Spirk said.
The Greyhounds have made Play 4Kay into more than just a game on the schedule. The program puts together a week of activities leading up the contest each year. This past winter, the week started on January 31 with Spirk and several players going to Springfield, New Jersey for their 5th Annual Pink Zone Clinic, which had over 120 participants and 30 volunteers and raised over $3,000 to be donated to breast cancer research. The team also hosted their 5th Annual Pink Zone clinic at Moravian on Tuesday, February 17 in Johnston Hall to finish off the fundraising.
The week also included a "pink office week" that encouraged staff to wear pink shirts and jeans all week for a daily donation.
When game day came on February 6, Moravian hosted its annual Alumni Game to start the festivities. The Greyhounds then earned a 68-55 over Susquehanna University in front of a crowd of nearly 800 people in Johnston Hall. The fans contributed to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund by purchasing pink merchandise, raffle tickets, and entering in halftime contests. The squad also hosted a Play 4Kay reception at Roosevelt's 21st after the game to add to their fundraising efforts.
"Unfortunately most everyone has been affected by cancer at some point in their life," stated Spirk. "We all know someone directly or know of someone, or even perhaps are fighting the disease personally. Our event helps to bring awareness and along with that, contribute with our monetary donation to help fight cancer and ultimately find a cure. The women's basketball team has embraced this community service year in and year out along with the entire Moravian community and beyond. We have been able to bring together many groups, towns and individuals in rallying together for a common cause."
Since the Kay Yow Cancer Fund's inception in 2007, more than $5.28 million has been allocated in support of women's cancer research and related projects. The organizations raising the most funding in each division were recognized at the Wow 4Yow Welcome Party on Friday, April 1, held in conjunction with the 2016 Women's Final Four and WBCA National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.
You can read the original story at http://moraviansports.com/sports/wbkb/2015-16/releases/20160401uqm0t3.
Story number four of the countdown will be released on Friday, August 12.
