March 16, 2009
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s basketball program proudly announced on Monday that it has raised more than $45,000 as part of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Pink Zone breast cancer initiative during the 2008-09 season. Those funds will be donated nationally to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund and locally to the Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center Women’s Task Force, which includes the Secret Sisters Society and Young Survivors group.
“We are profoundly grateful to the Notre Dame and South Bend communities for coming together and showing that we are all teammates in the fight against breast cancer,” Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw said. “The WBCA Pink Zone is such a worthwhile program and together with the thousands of other schools who participated in the event this year, we are making a difference and will continue to do so until there’s a cure for this disease.”
The Irish went far and wide throughout the Michiana area in 2008-09, undertaking a variety of activities to raise money for the WBCA Pink Zone project, which is now in its second year of existence:
- Collections at each home game during the 2008-09 season
- A basketball clinic in Stevensville, Michigan
- A silent auction at Notre Dame’s designated Pink Zone game vs. DePaul on February 8
- Sales of special pink t-shirts and other merchandise
- Sales of “in memory/honor of” cards through the Varsity Shop
- Irish 3-Point Challenge (fans donate a specific amount for every three-pointer the Irish make this year)
- Coach McGraw’s donation for every rebound the Irish grabbed during the Feb. 8 Pink Zone game ($430)
- At the Feb. 8 game, each Irish Women’s Basketball player and manager donated $15 to the cause ($225)
- Donations from Notre Dame Alumnae
A Pink Zone steering committee was created at Notre Dame this year to market and help raise funds for this special initiative. The steering committee was comprised of members of the Notre Dame Faculty and Staff as well as local community leaders.
Several South Bend-area sponsors also were involved in helping to support this year’s Pink Zone at Notre Dame, including Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, South Bend Tribune, Legends of Notre Dame and Ja’Ross Salon and Day Spa.
— ND —