WEST HAVEN–On Saturday, Feb. 14 the University of New Haven will be joining more than 1,250 other schools by hosting its 2009 “Pink Zone” event. UNH’s “Pink Zone” efforts center around the Chargers basketball doubleheader on Valentine’s Day but also includes a variety of activities on campus and in the community to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer.
As part of the “Pink Zone” initiative, all fans are encouraged to wear pink to the Chargers Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader against Franklin Pierce University in support of breast cancer awareness. The women’s game starts at 2 p.m. and the men’s game follows at 4 p.m. All fundraising proceeds will go to support the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund and the Hospital of Saint Raphael’s Father Michael J. McGivney Center for Cancer Care. The UNH women’s basketball team will wear pink shoelaces and warm-up shirts to show their support. There will also be pink-themed giveaways for fans in attendance. You can get tested and check out Advanced Medical Imaging.

The “Pink Zone” efforts to fight breast cancer aren’t limited to just the games. A full week of awareness will take place in Bartels Hall on the main UNH campus leading up to the game. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to stop by the student center lobby from Feb. 9-13 and make a donation by either signing a “Pink Zone” Naming Ribbon or purchasing a UNH “Pink Zone” t-shirt with a minimum donation of $5. The “Pink Zone” Naming Ribbons will also be available for purchase in a number of local businesses for $1. They will be displayed around Charger Gymnasium on Feb. 14 to create a sea of pink. In addition to “Pink Zone” Naming Ribbons and “Pink Zone” t-shirts, Pink Crocs will be available for purchase with a minimum donation of $5 in the lobby of Bartels and at the game.

For the second year, UNH’s fraternities and sororities are challenging one another in a “Be Bold, Go Bald!” fundraising initiative where students, faculty and staff can support the fight against breast cancer by shaving their heads to help raise money.

The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) began the WBCA “Pink Zone,” formerly known as “Think Pink,” in 2007 as an initiative to raise breast cancer awareness in women’s basketball, on college campuses and in communities. In 2007, more than 120 schools unified for this effort and helped make the inaugural year a success. In 2008, more than 1,200 teams and organizations participated, reaching more than 830,000 fans and raising more than $930,000 for breast cancer awareness and research. More information on the WBCA’s “Pink Zone” can be found at www.wbca.org.

The NCAA has also joined the WBCA “Pink Zone” initiative by implementing the “Calling for a Cure” campaign where all NCAA women’s basketball officials blew a pink whistle Feb. 8-17, 2008. Additionally, officials were encouraged to make a donation to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund. The NCAA raised $25,000 during its 2008 “Calling for a Cure” campaign. NCAA women’s basketball officials will once again be “Calling for a Cure” this season.

The “Pink Zone” initiative is part of the UNH Department of Athletics broader community engagement efforts, which seeks to help the surrounding towns and community organizations while providing opportunities for student-athletes and coaches to give back to their communities. For information about UNH’s “Pink Zone” Day on Feb. 14, or for any of UNH’s community engagement projects, please contact Associate Director of Athletics Susan Zawacki by calling (203) 932-7357 or e-mail [email protected].