There’s no denying it: breast cancer has affected most, if not all of us, in some way. Whether it’s a neighbor, a mother, or an aunt, whoever, we all know someone who’s been a victim or survivor of the disease.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, and the Volleydogs have done their part to contribute to this worthy cause.

On October 7th, the Volleydogs hosted Redmond in the Dig Pink event, a game centered on breast cancer awareness. Dig Pink is a national event that runs throughout the month of October, where certain high school and college volleyball matches are chosen to raise breast cancer awareness.

This event had personal sentiment for the Volleydogs. Sylvia Kirihara, the mother of sophomore setter Tori Kirihara, coordinated the event, setting up festivities for the night, as well as Dig Pink t-shirts for both sides. Kirihara is a breast cancer survivor herself.

The event was a huge success. The gym was flooded in pink�the girls wore pink t-shirts and pink socks; the referees blew pink whistles, and pink refreshments were sold.

Most importantly, however, both teams had an opportunity to dedicate their game to someone affected by breast cancer. “The game itself was actually really touching,” says senior co-captain Emily Fletcher. “One girl from Redmond even started crying while she talked about a family friend who had survived breast cancer this summer.”

While the game definitely had its emotional and sentimental purposes, Dig Pink also served as a fundraiser for the breast cancer awareness. Leading up to the game, the Volleydogs asked for donations from students. “It worked a lot better than I expected it to,” says Fletcher. “Students were a lot more willing to donate than I originally thought they would be.”

Furthermore, the game itself raised money. Each dig, when a player saves a ball before it hits the floor, would get a pledge. The Volleydogs’ original goal was $2,000 dollars, and while all the donations and pledges haven’t been totaled, that goal was easily surpassed.

Even though Garfield lost the actual game, clearly this event was not a loss. Dig Pink proved to be a successful event that surpassed expectations and goals, raising money and awareness for an admirable cause. Volleydogs, you deserve a pat on the back.