Fundraiser Successful As Students Defeat Faculty

Samantha McGarry

On April 3rd, students, families and faculty came out to support the 16th Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser Basketball Game, which pitted students against faculty and staff in the Pratt Recreation Center. The fundraiser was for the Hewlett House, where people with cancer and their families can become involved and receive support from people who are going through similar experiences. Many student clubs and organizations came out show their support, including ACP, Anointed Voices, Latin American Women’s Society, PAGANS, PEACE, The Runway, SGA, and the Student Pre-Health Professions Society. Each club set up a table with its own type of fundraising, like selling baked goods or bracelets, to help benefit the Hewlett House. Along with the clubs, Post had companies, like Apple, Best Buy and Victoria’s Secret, help to contribute to the clubs’ donations.

Playing on the faculty and staff team were William Clyde, Gresford Douglas, Rick Hamilton, Carlyle Hicks, Carlyshia Hurdle, Tremaine Johnson, Omar King, Chris Lomonaco and Whitney Murrer. Playing on the students’ team were Matthew Applewhite, Matthew Brooks, Lewis Cabibi, Kellie Finn, Andrew Jackson, Dominic Kulma, Joseph Marinello, Mike Nesto, Rayana Phillips and Nick Scotto. The faculty/staff team’s uniform was a black shirt with the pink ribbon for breast cancer on the front. The student team’s shirts were green and also featured the pink ribbon on the front. At the start of the game, the faculty/staff team came out strong, dominating the first half, but the students pulled through with a lead of 15-22 at the end of the first quarter. However, after the first quarter, the faculty/staff came back with a lead of 34-28 by halftime.

By the end of the benefit game, the students had won with a final score of 80-65. When asked why she played in this game, Women’s Assistant Basketball Coach Carlyshia Hurdle said, “Because it gets all the kids active and involved. It helps them support a cause, and it’s a lot of fun.” Along with Hurdle, student athlete and Education major Kellie Fin, a junior, explained why she played in this game, saying, “I played in this game to have fun and sup- port a great cause [and] also to support my aunt Karen, [who] passed away from breast cancer when she was 39.” LIU Post had a three-dollar admission cost along with an extra two-dollar fee for a t-shirt, the proceeds of which went to help the Hewlett House for Breast Cancer.