Thursday, September 20th, 2007

Celina and Coldwater volleyball teams going pink

By Shelley Grieshop
Photo by Shelley Grieshop/The Daily Standard

Coldwater High School volleyball team members Kelley Lefeld, left, Ashley Sudhoff and Marla Hess attach pink ribbons to lockers at the school to help advertise Volley For he Cure, a breast cancer fundraiser and awareness program that will be held during Tuesday night's game against Celina at The Palace.

COLDWATER - The idea of designating a home volleyball game as a fundraiser for breast cancer struck a personal note for the Coldwater High School team this year.
When high school junior Marla Hess first learned about Volley For The Cure - a challenge to high school volleyball teams in Ohio to raise money and awareness for the cause - she immediately thought about her mom.
"It was kind of ironic because my mom was going through it at the time," says the 16-year-old.
Marla's mother, 43-year-old Kim Hess, was diagnosed with breast cancer in June and is currently undergoing treatment.
Volley For The Cure made its debut in Ohio in 2006 when two volleyball teams - Sycamore (Cincinnati) and Loveland turned a regular season game into a cancer benefit and educational night out for their fans. Attendance that night went from their normal 50-75 people to well over 1,000 and the girls raised more than $4,000 for the cause.
Volley For The Cure is sponsored by the Ohio High School Athletic Association and Volleyball Coaches Association, the Susan G. Koman Foundation and Molten USA Inc.
The Coldwater and Celina teams will do their part during a regular season match-up hosted by the Lady Cavs on Tuesday. The junior varsity game begins at 6 p.m. and the high school showdown will follow.
The goal across the state of Ohio is to get 800 high school teams interested this year. Currently, there are 328 schools signed up including many in the Grand Lake area.
Although breast cancer is rare in women under age 40 (less than 5 percent), some young women are at a high risk due to family history. Also, cancer in young females often is more aggressive and results in lower survival rates.
Coldwater High School volleyball coach Mandy Diller says she wasn't sure how the team would respond when she first introduced the idea this summer.
"With what was going on with Kim at the time ... well, I don't always believe in this stuff but I felt it was kind of a 'sign,' " Diller says. "As for the girls, they were ready and willing."
Both teams will be wearing pink jerseys on Tuesday, the color chosen for the national campaign for breast cancer awareness. Educational brochures will be distributed during the ga me. Pink T-shirts also are being sold at the school and anyone wearing one to the game will be admitted free.
Team members and their families are baking cookies with pink icing to sell, as well as pink stretch wristbands and 50/50 tickets. Organizers say 100 percent of all donations will go directly toward the fight against breast cancer.
"The girls made pink posters and hung them around the school. They also tied little pink ribbons on lockers and cars," Diller says. "They've really got their heart in this."
Marla Hess says her mother's illness has brought their family closer together, and in a similar way, is doing the same thing for the Coldwater team. The young lady is excited about the upcoming game, although a little shy about the attention it has brought her and her family.
"I think this is a good way to tell others" about breast cancer, she says. "I really want to do this for my mom."

If you go:
What: Volley For The Cure
When: Tuesday during Coldwater/Celina volleyball match (6 p.m. junior varsity, 7:30 p.m. high school)
Where: The Palace at Coldwater school
Why: To raise money and awareness for breast cancer
Additional online story on this date
Calvin Freeman, assistant police chief of the Celina Police Department, remained in serious condition this morning after suffering two heart attacks Wednesday afternoon, according to local officials. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Sewage facility manager seeks additional personnel
Celina's wastewater treatment plant is inadequately staffed to perform necessary preventative maintenance and at times, is dangerously undermanned, says plant Superintendent Kerry Duncan.
ROCKFORD - Mayor Robert King was authorized to apply to the Ohio Public Works Commission for a $500,000 grant to help fund a proposed South Main Street walkway extension and lighting project.
MINSTER - The junior high track program gained two assistant coaches, restoring that program to a staff of three, following last year's budget cuts.
A 52-year-old man remained in critical condition this morning after becoming drunk and falling from a balcony along West Bank Road on Tuesday.
John
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
Numbers play a very big part when St. Henry and Coldwater renew the Backyard Battle on Friday night at Cavalier Stadium.
Friday, 7:30 p.m. Booster Stadium
Last Game: Minster dropped to 0-4 as St. John's earned its first win of 2007 in a 35-26 contest. ... The Flyers moved to the top of the Midwest Athletic Conference standings alone in beating Parkway 35-13 to snap the Panthers' 3-1 start.
Friday, 7:30 p.m. Cardinal Field
Last Game: The Panthers saw their three-game win streak snapped against Marion Local, but Parkway is still having its strongest start since the 2000 season. ... New Bremen's struggles continue as the Cardinals fell to St. Henry 42-6.
Friday, 7:30 p.m. Barrenbrugge Field
Last Game: The Rockets finally had a stumble on offense, scoring just eight points while allowing two Coldwater defensive touchdowns in the 37-8 loss. ... Fort Recovery blew its game with Versailles wide open on Friday with 20 straight points to move to 3-1 with a 33-20 win at Versailles.
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Stadium Park
Last Game: The Tigers had a rough second quarter as Fort Recovery put up 20 straight points en route to a 33-20 win at Hole Field. ... The Blue Jays won their first game of the season in picking up a 35-26 win at Minster.
Friday, 7:30 p.m. Shawnee Field
Last Week: A week after putting together a solid game in the last-second loss to St. Marys, the Bulldogs had a downspell in losing to Van Wert 34-13. ... The Indians had six different players score in posting a 47-6 win over Bath.
Friday, 7:30 p.m. Harmon Field
Last Game: Penalties, especially seven false start calls in the first half, hampered the Roughriders as Defiance posted a 24-7 win. ... The Redskins were shut out against WBL co-leader Ottawa-Glandorf in Putnam County.
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