OFA athletes join efforts for breast cancer awareness

On Tuesday, Oct. 15 and Friday, Oct. 18, Owego Free Academy, in conjunction with Traci’s Hope, will be hosting “Pink Out Night” as the Varsity Volleyball and Football Teams take on Maine Endwell. 

To raise money for Traci’s Hope, and to help tackle cancer, the teams are selling luminaries for a $5 donation. The Luminaries can be purchased at The Owego Pharmacy, located at 1135 NY-17C in Owego, and at The Owego Pennysaver office located at 181-183 Front St. in Owego during business hours.

The event will offer all of the excitement of the game, while recognizing an agency that contributes so much to help out members of the community.

The high school fall sports season is well underway in our area, and the Owego Indians Varsity Football team is one of the teams taking a timeout to pay tribute to those who are dealing with breast cancer.

Interestingly, it was a pre-season football get-together earlier this year when two Owego Free Academy (OFA) Varsity football seniors, Mike Wasyln and Gio Fabi, suggested the idea of wearing pink for a game they would play in October.   

The duo, and in recognition of October being breast cancer awareness month, suggested to their coaches at the time that the team support the occasion.

Fast-forward to the start of the practice season in August, and the same seniors asked Laura Wasyln, the OFA Sports Booster Club president, “Wouldn’t it be cool to wear pink game jerseys and raise money for breast cancer at an October home game?”

Wasyln said, “It’s exciting and awesome that they are doing this.” 

Call it meant-to-be, the team recently learned that the local organization, Traci’s Hope, had cancelled their annual barbeque that was scheduled on Oct. 5, so the football players were even more geared-up to hit the field running and make their own fundraiser happen to benefit Traci’s Hope.

Traci Gibson was diagnosed with Stage 3b breast cancer at the age of 31 and lived with the disease for seven years; she passed away on Oct. 3, 2006. Traci’s Hope was her inspiration, a fund set up to help breast cancer patients lessen the burden of overwhelming expenses. 

For residents of Tioga and Broome Counties in N.Y. and Susquehanna and Bradford Counties in Pa., Traci’s Hope helps individuals undergoing breast cancer treatments pay for expenses outside of medical bills, such as gas money to get to appointments, childcare, mortgage or utility bills, or house cleaning, to name just a few.

Traci’s father, Gordon Shiner, remarked at a previous Traci’s Hope event that one of Traci’s wishes was her personal desire to get young people involved in the cause.

And that is exactly what several OFA teams have stepped up to do. 

The OFA Varsity football team invites the Owego-Apalachin and Maine-Endwell communities to wear pink at their Pink Out Night scheduled on Friday, Oct. 18.  Game time is 7 p.m. at Christy J. Valvo Stadium.

The goal is to put breast cancer awareness in the spotlight, and to, “Tackle cancer one down at a time.”

From previously sold tee shirts to pink socks, the OFA Football team hopes to score points in bringing more awareness about Traci’s Hope mission.

And not just the football team, other OFA sports teams are jumping on board.

The OFA Volleyball team will host a Pink Out night at their home match on Tuesday, Oct. 15 versus Maine-Endwell. The J.V. match starts at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Varsity match at 6:30 p.m.

OFA team spirit has spread to the Boys Lacrosse and Bowling teams, too, who will be putting together baskets to raffle in support of Traci’s Hope.

And don’t forget the luminaries. Visit The Owego Pharmacy or The Owego Pennysaver to purchase your luminary today, and support a great cause.