By: Kendra Slis
Real men wear pink. On Friday October 14th 2011, the Greater Johnstown Trojan football team took on the Bishop McCort Crushers in what has become known as one of the biggest local rivalries. However, on October 14th, the focus was not only on the rivalry but on another battle, the battle against breast cancer.
The Trojans’ annual “Pink Game” was organized this year through the cooperative efforts of Representative Bryan Barbin and the Greater Johnstown Key Club. The event this year was bigger and better than ever and was organized with the hope of raising awareness and bringing attention to this terrible disease that effects the lives of 1 in every 8 women in the United States. The first major activity in the “Pink Game” was the selling of pink “In the fight for the cure” t-shirts which were available for purchase to students, staff, faculty, and the community. The intention of these shirts was for the entire Trojan Stadium to become a sea of pink on the evening of the 14th and send a powerful visual reminder that the community is willing to band together to find a cure.
On the evening of the game two additional events were on agenda. A 2-mile “Walk for the Cure” was held in order to bring attention to the dire need to fight this disease and find a cure once and for all. Participants in the walk were asked to register and give a $10 donation but participants sporting a pink “In the Fight for the Cure” shirt had the donation waived. The walk could be chalked up as a success as participants marched through the rain and shine to show their support for finding a cure and were encouraged by the beeps and honks of car horns as they drove by showing their support of the walkers’ mission. Following the arrival back at the school, a tailgate was held with free food, music, and entertainment allowing fans to show their support in finding a cure, get into the Trojan spirit, and prepare for the epic battle that would follow.
The game itself was without a doubt an exciting one and Trojan faithful rejoiced as the Men of Troy defeated their rivals from down the street with a score of 41-20. However, not only did the game result in a victory for the Trojans but students, teachers, and members of the community could leave feeling good as they had hosted a successful event that raised awareness about and contribute towards the goal of finding a cure for breast cancer. The evening all in all showcased the real power of pink.
