Comets set new fundraising record, fight breast cancer

Comets For a Cure kicked off on Oct. 2 at SHS and wrapped up during last Thursday’s volleyball game. The event involved a week’s worth of sports, fundraising and cancer awarness.

Comets For a Cure originally started with Volley For a Cure in 2006. Volley For a Cure was created by the Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association to raise money for the Susan G. Komen foundation to support breast cancer research. Around 5 years ago, Solon expanded this event to include football, and girls and boys soccer.

“We expanded it to include all of the fall larger spectator sports to make a week long event from it, so we could get more people involved, create more awareness and raise more money,” said SHS principal Erin Short.

This year, the newest addition to the Comets For a Cure fundraiser was the food trucks. Solon High School worked with the PTA to bring four food trucks to the pool pad from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. before the Solon v. Mentor football game on Oct. 2. Proceeds were split between the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and Comets For a Cure. The food trucks included Manna, Donut Lab, Krav and Barrio.

“Last year we raised about $11,500,” Short said. “Hopefully [the food trucks] will help us raise more money to go to the cause. We hope to beat the $12,000 mark this year.”

Comets For a Cure sold t-shirts Sept. 28-30. Students could buy a t-shirt for $12 and wear it for the football, soccer and volleyball games to get in for free.This year, Solon sold around 1,050 t-shirts, which is the most they’ve ever sold.

Along with the addition of the food trucks, this is the second year that Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) sponsored a dunk tank to contribute to the cause.

“Last year, a lot of [SADD] students had a relationship with Mrs. Keys and she was diagnosed with breast cancer,” SADD Advisor Robin Joseph said. “They were looking for a way to raise more money [on] her behalf so the kids came up with this idea.”

Starting on Sep. 28, students were allowed to vote for for the teachers that they wanted to see in the dunk tank during lunch and study hall periods. Students placed money on the 64 volunteers, and the 19 staff members with the highest votes went in the dunk tank on Oct. 2. Some of teachers picked included Matthew Kirk, Dan Iwan, Karen Smith and Trish Kruse. Students could donate $1 to watch during their lunch or study hall period; in order to play, it cost $1 for five balls to throw, $5  for six balls and $10 to walk up and push the target.

Matthew Kirk explained the reason he volunteered to participate in the dunk tank was for the cause of breast cancer awareness.

“I know my students are frustrated at me and if I can help my students out and help out a great cause, I’m willing to do it.” Kirk said.

The community dressed in pink for the football game on Oct. 2. The fundraiser continued with the girls and boys soccer games on Oct. 5 and 6 and the girls volleyball game on Oct. 8.

“We raised about $3,000 last year [from the dunk tank] and this year we raised $4,500,” Joseph said. “Comets For a Cure has been something that has touched lots of people’s lives. It’s important to everybody.”

Fundraising Update as of October 12, 2015: All together this year, Comets for a Cure raised a total of over $15,995.94, for breast cancer awareness.