Pink Arrow Night

The second annual “Pink Arrow” football game occurred last night.

Quick brief: My children attend Lowell Schools whose mascot is the Red Arrows. In 2008, the football coach decided to create a game dedicated to those fighting cancer, survivors and those who lost their battles. The football players wore pink jerseys with names on the back to honor friends or family members. Attendees were encouraged to purchase pink game t-shirts as a donation to support cancer charities. It was a great success earning over $90k.

The second annual event was bigger. The tennis teams, cross country team and volleyball teams joined in the festivities. My daughter plays volleyball and they constructed an outdoor court at one end of the field to play prior to the game. Summer asked me to show up for a special seat only to find that between games they honored a few cancer survivors with a small pink and white volleyball signed by all the players. After the game, Summer was interviewed by the Grand Rapids Press…

“An estimated 3,000 fans watched Michigan's first outdoor high school volleyball match. The Pink Arrows swept Forest Hills Northern in three games played on a court set up in the high jump area at the north end of Bob Perry Field.
The volleyball match, which was sanctioned by the MHSAA, was particularly significant for Lowell junior Summer Moore. Not only did Moore, a backup setter, see her first action of the season, she played in front of her father, 44-year-old cancer survivor Paul Moore.
Moore was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma before Christmas last year and began chemotherapy the day after Christmas.
"He always stayed positive through the whole thing," Summer Moore said. "At the end of May and beginning of May, he was in remission, and he is doing better now. To have a parent go through this, and then to play in something like this, with him here is amazing.

"Ever since I was young, he got me involved in a lot of sports. Playing here today I am supporting him. I feel like I am giving something back to him."
Paul Moore's final two scans have been clear.
"So far so good," he said. "I had my last chemo in May and my hair started to grow back. The whole thing that Lowell is doing is something special, and the girls playing volleyball outside today was special."

Great kid.

Read the entire article here: Pink Arrows 2009

I was trying to think of something clever to say but there was so much happening that I felt humbled by the madness; emotions welling up, thousands of people, pink everywhere, lots of encouraging words.

I look forward to hearing the final $$ tally as there are plans to create a Gilda’s Club in Lowell.