Marshall Democrat-News: Local News: Klinge gives Marshall school board update on 'Football in Pink' event

Marshall Board of Education member Jeanette Klinge shows an example of a "Wall of Fame" poster created by a Marshall teacher to honor her mother. Anyone who wishes to honor someone touched by cancer can purchase a poster board. The posters will be on display Oct. 10 at the Marshall High School football game.
(Eric Crump/Democrat-News)
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Marshall students and members of the community are getting behind the Football in Pink cancer center fundraiser in a big way, according to Jeanette Klinge.

The Marshall Board of Education member and volunteer coordinator of the event delivered an update to the school board at its regular meeting Tuesday, Sept. 23.

She said she visited with students at Benton Elementary School recently and found them eager to be involved.

"The kids are tickled about helping the community," she said.

School children are helping raise money by helping collect "Pennies from Heaven."

"We've got a lot of great people helping," Klinge said.

She said more than 500 pink T-shirts had been sold at $10 each.

"We're very pleased with that," she said.

Jerseys like the Marshall High School football team will be wearing for the Oct. 10 game have sold out, she said.

She also showed the board an example of "Wall of Fame" poster.

The poster, by Marshall teacher Kristin Moser, honors her mother, Brenda Graves with photos and a quote.

Anyone who wants to honor a cancer victim or survivor can create a poster.

Poster boards cost $5 and will be displayed on the fence the night of the football game.

Anyone who shares a poster may retrieve if following the event, Klinge said, but if they choose not to, the remaining posters will be placed on display at Fitzgibbon Hospital.

Money raised by the event will go toward the purchase of digital mamography equipment for Fitzgibbon Hospital.

Gates will open at 5 p.m. for the game, and area cancer survivors and Fitzgibbon Hospital employees are asked to meet on the track in front of the stands at 6:30 p.m. for a survivors' walk.

The game will begin at 7 p.m.

Special ticket packages are available at Sturhahn Jewelers and Viking Athletic Goods on the Marshall square, at the Human Resources office at Fitzgibbon Hospital, at the Fitzgibbon Fund Development Office at 261 West Washington in Marshall, or at the Activities office at Marshall High School.

Special commemorative items, such as tee-shirts, window stickers, and polo shirts may be purchased at Marshall Owls home games or by calling 66-831-3257, 660-831-1202, or 660-886-2244.

Good idea to honor cancer survivors and contribute to the new cancer center! Few people have not been touched by a family member who has either died from or survived cancer. However, as a parent, I hope the district's focus will not stop here. Newsweek magazine this week (page 48) reports that "tobacco has become the word's learding cause of death. . . Roughly 14,000 people die every single day from smoking. If we do nothing, tobacco may kill 1 billion people by the end of this century." Wow! A great next step would be to further educate our Marshall students about healthy lifestyles and the causes of cancer, therefore helping eliminate the need for survivor events. And, as adults, we can start by setting good examples for the youth in our community.

-- Posted by won on Fri, Sep 26, 2008, at 4:03 PM