Jeters Set To Co-Host Coaches Vs. Cancer Gala
Jan. 31, 2008
MILWAUKEE - Coaches vs. Cancer, the national collaboration of the American Cancer Society and National Association of Basketball Coaches, has announced the creation of Shooting for a Cure, the inaugural Coaches vs. Cancer Gala in Wisconsin. Shooting for a Cure, scheduled for Sat., May 31, at the Marriott Madison West, will help raise funds for the American Cancer Society in Wisconsin, and share the importance of saving lives from cancer. UWM head coach Rob Jeter and his wife, Deanna, will join four other members of the Wisconsin coaching fraternity as co-hosts of the event. The Shooting for a Cure committee is seeking corporate sponsors and auction items to help achieve their goal of raising $100,000 in their first year. Proceeds from the Gala will support all the American Cancer Society programs and services in the state of Wisconsin. The other hosts for the evening are Bo and Kelly Ryan of the University of Wisconsin, Luke and Meredith Reigel of UW-Parkside, Paul and Michelle Combs of UW-Platteville and Todd and Jennie Adrian of Edgewood College. "I am happy to take the role of co-hosting an event to raise awareness for such an important cause," Jeter said. "The Coaches vs. Cancer concept has provided great awareness about the fight against cancer, and I am happy to team up with some of my fellow coaches in the state to raise that awareness even further. It is great to see this event become a reality and I trust we will receive plenty of support from those in the basketball community and across the state of Wisconsin." "I'm honored to be a part of such a great event for such a worthwhile cause," Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan said. "With cancer touching so many people in so many different ways, it's comforting to know that this event will benefit the American Cancer Society programs and services in the state of Wisconsin. Our goal is to make this a very successful event by combining the efforts of different coaches, staffs and college campuses throughout the state."
The idea of hosting a Coaches vs. Cancer event in Wisconsin came from the Adrians, who have had a number of family members affected by cancer. "It started when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in August of 2006," Jennie, who had a grandmother die of breast cancer, said. "Almost every family member on my dad's side has had cancer of some sort, and Todd has had family members lose the fight against cancer. "When Todd got the Edgewood job later that same fall, we started talking about using Todd's position as a head coach to do something to help raise awareness. We contacted the ACS office and I participated in some conference calls with other coaches' wives to see if this would work in Wisconsin. When we started getting the people that we are close to lined up to work on the committee, Shooting for a Cure really started taking shape." Todd Adrian said Shooting for a Cure is a natural extension of what these coaches are doing on and off the court. "As coaches, we teach our guys to play hard and work towards a common goal, even if it sometimes seems like victory might be very hard to achieve," he said. "The reward often comes from your total commitment and dedication to a cause regardless of the outcome. The fight against cancer, in some ways, is very much the same. Many people have been working very hard to find a cure for this disease, and we are all very excited about doing whatever we can to help win this battle." Members of Wisconsin's coaching fraternity and their wives have quickly lined up to co-host Shooting for a Cure, spreading the message of awareness and motivating others to support this noble cause. "This is an incredible opportunity for people from all around the state, and basketball fans from each of these schools, to come together and support a cause that is very near and dear to so many of us," UW-Parkside head coach Luke Reigel said. "It is very difficult to find a family that hasn't been affected by this disease, and as a part of the Coaches vs. Cancer organization we hope to continue to raise money and awareness to help find a cure." "Like so many people, my wife, Michelle, and I have been impacted by cancer personally," UW-Platteville head coach Paul Combs said. "Michelle's mother, Cindy, had breast cancer and has been fighting this for the last 15 years. We're happy to say she is fully recovered and very busy today helping recently diagnosed women by sharing her own past experiences. That's been inspiring for Michelle and I, and we're committed to do whatever we can to help fight this horrible disease." For more information on Shooting for a Cure, for sponsorship opportunities or to be placed on a mailing list for more information, please contact Linda Witucki with the American Cancer Society at (262) 523-5574. There will also be more information at the gala website at www.shootingforacurewi.org, which will be launched shortly after the first of February. The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Founded in 1913 and with national headquarters in Atlanta, the Society has 13 regional Divisions and local offices in 3,400 communities, involving millions of volunteers across the United States. For more information anytime, call toll free 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org. Coaches vs. Cancer is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) that empowers basketball coaches, their teams, and local communities to make a difference in the fight against cancer. |
