Girl’s varsity softball team raises
money for breast cancer research
When the Garden City High School (GCHS) girls’ varsity softball team decided during a recent home game against Rockville Centre High to dedicate its efforts to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, it was as a pink-clad unit. The result was the raising of $1,000 to donate to the foundation for breast cancer research.
This was the fourth annual fundraiser held by the GCHS softball team. Each year the senior members choose a cause to which they donate the money they raise. Last year the team supported the Long Island chapter of the Ronald McDonald House.
Regarding this year’s decision senior member Nicolette Samardich commented, “I just know a few people that have breast cancer so it was a big deal for me to try and make it as big as possible this year.”
The girls wore pink from head-to-toe for the occasion. Pink ribbons, socks and shirts designed by the gals were part of their uniforms along with breast cancer ribbons.
Although parents supported the event with donations, everything in the tent was the result of hours of hard work put in by the team. Head Coach Marisa Reichman commented: “I put a little paperwork in that allowed them to do this, but this is all their hard work. They did an amazing job.”
Led by the team’s eight senior members, the girls have been preparing for the fundraiser since the beginning of their season in March. The night before the fundraising event, senior member Claudia Holub hosted a pasta party for her team. During this time, the girls spent hours baking and making posters advertising the event that were subsequently posted all over school grounds.
Though the desserts and snacks were homemade, GCHS softball received hundreds of dollars in donations from various restaurants and shops in the Village of Garden City. Appealing to each establishment for donations, the girls received gifts to fill their raffle baskets from local restaurants such as Garden City Pizza, Olivetto’s of Franklin Square and La Bottega of West Hempstead. Chain operations such as Panera Bread, Starbucks, and Lord & Taylor participated as well.
