"Hoops for a Cure"

Today was the first day of an annual high school basketball tournament that is the highlight of many surrounding schools in this area each year during this first full week in January.

Our new girls' basketball coach lost his mother to breast cancer about 15 years ago, so raising money to help find a cure for cancer is close to his heart.

This year for the first time at this specific tournament, the new coach is sponsoring a fund raiser is being held to raise money for this cause.  Small little ribbon/pink items are being sold (bracelets and antenna ribbons), along with pink cancer ribbon shaped sugar cookies and t-shirts. (To purchase a ribbon cookie cutter, click here.)

I volunteered to make the cookies for the tournament.  I enjoyed making them and icing them, but it was sure hard to make them on the first day back to a regular schedule after the Christmas/New Year break!  It was hard not to EAT the cookies and I'm actually trying to eat better in this new year!

The coach purchased pink basketball suits for his team to wear at his previous high school and was able to get them for this new team to wear during this tournament. The girls were very excited about their pink basketball suits!  In fact, a few of them mentioned that it would be fun to change our school colors from black and gold to PINK!  I'm not sure the boys would go for that!

A few weeks before Christmas, forms were sent home with students to order "Hoops for a Cure" pink t-shirts.  Our family ordered shirts and wore them today.  I didn't get a family picture with all of us in the t-shirts, but did get the four kids before school this morning.  At least it made this first morning going back to school after the bread a little more fun!

On this Gratituesday, I am grateful for "Hoops for a Cure".  It is a unique opportunity for others to get involved in helping find a cure for cancer - specifically breast cancer.