Every year Windham Tech and Windham High engage in a preseason volleyball scrimmage. This year’s scrimmage, however, went beyond a simple scrimmage and became a fundraising event to benefit breast cancer research and awareness. As part of the Dig Pink exhibition sponsored by the Side Out Foundation, Windham High and Windham Tech used their annual scrimmage to provide an education tool and learning experience while also benefiting the greater Willimantic and Mansfield community in the continuing fight to raise money for breast Cancer research. Windham High’s coach, Pat Crosbie, has wanted to do this for a long time. This year she had a team that was excited about heading it up. All she needed was a team to be part of it with them. What better way to unite a community then to ask Windham Tech to be involved. Windham Tech’s coach, Elizabeth Scheff saw this as a wonderful opportunity to ‘give back’ and raise awareness.  Convincing her team to be part of it was easy as Breast Cancer has touched many lives in the Windham Tech Community.

Both schools took part in selling t-shirts, bracelets and dedication volleyballs the week prior to the match. Mansfield OB/GYN donated t-shirts and socks for both teams while family members and The Chronicle donated signs and raffle prizes. The stands were packed with spectators. So much so it looked like a regular season game. Together the schools raised over $1300 to be divide between the Side Out Foundation and the Ruth Fund, a local Breast Cancer support fund. It is an event both school hope to continue next year.