Hilltopper Paula Marti-arce playing in a previous ‘Dig Pink’ game in Griffith Gymnasium. Courtesy photo

The Los Alamos Fire Department will have t-shirts available for purchase at the ‘Dig Pink’ games this evening  in Griffith Gymnasium. Courtesy photo

BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Los Alamos

It is great when a community engages in an issue that is close to the heart. It is even more meaningful when that issue hits close to home. Tuesday, Oct.15, the community is invited to attend a special Los Alamos High School Volleyball game called “Dig Pink”.

The Hilltoppers (C team, JV and Varsity) will face off against the Taos Tigers to promote Breast Cancer Awareness. You are invited to wear your favorite pink attire or purchase a t-shirt from the Los Alamos Fire Department all the while supporting our athletes.

During October, as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Los Alamos Fire Department creates shirts to support breast cancer awareness. This year the sales of those shirts sold at the games will be  donated to the New Mexico Cancer Center.

The topic and the team hit close to home for mom and local businesswoman Kate Cleveland.

“Here, in our little town of course it’s meaningful to me, personally, but on a bigger scale, it’s so much more than that. What an amazing gift we can give our daughters,” Cleveland said. “I strongly feel that playing in a Dig Pink game as a teen will help them be more likely to make the screening appointments, get their mammograms, when they are at the age. One of them will even invent a better screening method than boob-squishing!?”

The C-team gets the games started at 4 p.m., followed by junior varsity and varsity. The players will each have an opportunity to honor someone special to them – a loved one in their life who fought or is currently fighting against breast cancer, during a special ceremony. Flowers by Gillian is providing the flowers for the ceremony.

Cleveland understands that what feels like little, annoying tests, get in the way sometimes. So, she has a challenge for the reader.

“Call today, tell your friends and family to call and schedule those appointments,” Cleveland said.  “Mammograms, colonoscopies, cholesterol checks, whatever it is, it is time to stop procrastinating and get it done! That is what this game represents.”

The games will take place in Griffith Gymnasium and the ceremony will begin at approximately 6 p.m., just before the Varsity game.