Swing for Pink Raising Funds for Breast Cancer Patients
Swing for Pink, the annual fundraiser for breast cancer patients and research, continued its long tradition of raising much-needed funds.
Alexandria, VA – Swing for Pink, the annual fundraiser for breast cancer patients and research, continued its long tradition of raising much-needed funds. For the past 15 years, the tennis players, staff and management of the former Mount Vernon Athletic Club (MTVAC) have hosted the Swing for Pink fundraiser, combining tennis, food and beverages, and a silent auction of donated items.
Including sponsorships, monies raised over the years have topped $208,000. Swing for Pink is an incredibly effective steward of its resources, thanks to its dedicated, hard-working volunteers. All but 1% of funds raised go directly to the beneficiaries: patients of the Breast Care Institute at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital, and the Joseph Viar and Bonnie Christ Cancer Center at Inova Alexandria Hospital.
Unfortunately, after MTVAC closed due to the pandemic in March, it was then sold in June, leaving its members scrambling to find other courts to fill their tennis needs. Although the club’s doors were closed, the event organizers wanted to carry on the popular and successful charitable tradition. So they came up with a new plan and a new venue.
Co-chairs Deb Oelschlager and Sharon Timmons wanted to not only continue the fundraiser, but also to reunite all the tennis friends who were missing the club and each other. Said Oelschlager, “We decided to reinvent the fundraiser as a safe and fun outdoor tennis event, providing a great opportunity for the former MTVAC members and friends to reunite and come together for a great cause, and of course play some tennis.” The committee reserved four tennis courts at Lee District Recreation Center in Alexandria, VA, for a round robin with plenty of social distancing space for players as well as anyone who just wanted to reunite with friends. The event was scheduled for Saturday, October 3, from 2 to 5 pm, with a rain date of Sunday, October 4, 2 to 5 pm. (This edition of The Zebra Press went to print before the event took place. Look for updates on our website, www.thezebra.org.)
Because this year’s event did not include a silent auction, Oelschlager and Timmons set a goal of $20,000 (they raised nearly $33,000 in 2019). In addition to the round robin, there was a 50/50 raffle, and players were able to buy delicious offerings from the Meggrolls food truck. Invitations were sent to all of the MTVAC alumnae, in hopes of gathering old friends and players for the socially distanced reunion and round robin.
In further support of this fundraiser, Kendra Scott Jewelry will host an online shopping event to benefit Swing for Pink on Thursday and Friday, October 8 and 9. The online event begins at 12:01 a.m. October 8 and concludes at 11:59 p.m. October 9. Go to https://blog.kendrascott.com/blog/how-to-shop-a-virtual-kendra-gives-back-event and use the code GIVEBACK9467 at checkout so Swing for Pink earns 20 percent of purchases.
Swing for Pink is indebted to its generous sponsors:
Van Metre Family, in loving memory of Joan Harmon Van Metre
Van Metre Companies Foundation
Sue and Rick Rabil
Joe Viar and Bonnie Christ
Pacious Landscape Architecture
In addition to registration fees and sponsors, Swing for Pink counts on donations to meet its goal. The donation window is open until October 17, so if you’d like to donate to this great cause, please visit swingforpinkmtvac.wordpress.com.
Inova Schar Cancer Institute, Inova Health Systems Foundation, is a charitable foundation that serves The Breast Care Institute at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital and the Joseph Viar and Bonnie Christ Cancer Center at Inova Alexandria Hospital – 501(c)3 Tax Exempt Charities.
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