Breast Cancer Turns Rivals Into Allies in Pink the Rink

The day rivals came together to fight  breast cancer is a great day.

Breast Cancer is the kind of thing that brings people together. Case in point is the Annual Pink the Rink event in Pennsylvania.

Whenever the Susquehanna University and the Bucknell University come face to face, sparks are expected to fly. These two teams have always nurtured a healthy rivalry both on and off the court. However, there is one day that both teams forget about who wins the game. This is the day that they come together against breast cancer.

Every year, the Hawks and the Bisons meet on the ice for the benefit of breast cancer patients in their community. Both teams call on their fans to support the event and turn the Sunbury Youth and Community Center Rink pink.

Pink the Rink started two years ago, as a fundraising idea by Bucknell player Tim Johnson. Johnson wanted an exhibition game against their bitter rivals to raise money for the cause. It was then picked up by local city employees Carl Yoder Jr and Tammy Forbes. These two, along with both teams and the entire community worked together to make the event a success.

It was truly a community effort, with local businesses pitching in to donate gift baskets for the event’s attendees.

Local sponsors included the Sunbury Moose and Eagles, Sunbury Motors, UPMC’s Susquehanna Health and Sunbury Community Hospital and Brewers’ Outlet.

The gift baskets contain snack items, coffee and other local goodies. The city does its part by letting the event happen in the local rink for free.

This year, the team raised over $4,000 in donations which bested last year’s efforts by $1,000. The organizers take it as a good sign that more people in the community are becoming involved.

Proceeds will go to the PA Breast Cancer Coalition who has been working tirelessly for breast cancer survivors in the community. Volunteers from the Coalition were on hand to help the organizers with t-shirts and raffle ticket sales. The shirts, donated by 2 Twisted Sisters went flying off the shelves!

The PA Breast Cancer Coalition hosts up to 300 events every year in the hopes of saving lives. Apart from fundraising events, they also hold educational events to raise awareness. As they say, prevention is better than cure.

The Coalition also rallies behind community events such as Pink the Rink. Aside from helping with the legwork, they also provide information brochures and on-site help to those who seek it.

The game was won by the Bucknell Bisons, 10 to 2.