Twenty-four students in teams of two participated in the first-ever Save the Kans event on Sept. 28 on the Campus Center Quad to raise money for breast cancer in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is the month of October.
Organized by the Ithaca College chapter of the American Marketing Association, the event, which served as the kickoff event for Breast Cancer Awareness month at the college, was structured tournament style. Teams played a game of KanJam and moved through a double-elimination bracket system.
KanJam is a frisbee-throwing game where players try to either hit or score the slotted garbage can standing 50 feet away, according to the official KanJam website.
Senior Mike Valenti, fundraising chair for IC AMA, said the tournament raised $400 through donations, which included a $10 registration fee and prizes.
“[We] got donations from local businesses and a chance to win gift cards and raffles,” he said. “Of course, the best cause is for breast cancer awareness.”
It is estimated that there will be 232,670 new cases of breast cancer, the most common type of cancer in women, in the year 2014 alone, according to the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s website.
The Susan G. Komen Foundation is the largest and best-known nonprofit source for the fight against breast cancer, according to its website.
Although there has been a decline in the rate of breast cancer mortality by 34 percent since the year 1990, so far there have been an estimated 40,000 deaths in the year 2014 as a result of the cancer, according to the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s website.
Senior Nunta Chalothron, co-president of IC AMA, said she thinks everyone should be aware of breast cancer because donations are being put toward addressing the cause, especially through funding for research.
“People might not have an impact directly, but it’s a good cause to help donate towards something,” Chalothron said. “I think having people come together and collaborate and do something bigger for the community is just an overall satisfaction for yourself and helps motivate other people.”
The Save the Kans event collaborated with Push Yourself, a public movement that motivates others to make a positive contribution to different organizations in order to spread as much awareness about breast cancer as possible, Valenti said.
Paul Valenti, founder of the Push Yourself movement, said he has wanted to organize the Save the Kans event for several years because breast cancer is an issue close to his heart.
“My mother suffered from breast cancer, and [I] know a lot of people have been influenced by cancer and breast cancer in particular, so I’ve always wanted to do it,” Valenti said.
He said he began the Push Movement in 2008 as a way for people to step out of their comfort zones and to make the world around them a better place through fundraisers and events that raise awareness about social issues.
Paul Valenti said the event is not about whether someone is able to toss a frisbee or not, but rather about enjoying the game while making a positive difference.
Senior Jeff Ambrose, a member of IC AMA, said at first he was not planning to participate and just wanted to help out at the event for market research. However, he said he had a fun time once he got involved in the game with a friend.
“I think it was a lot of fun, and it’s for a good cause, so I feel good about doing it,” he said.
Mike Valenti said the event was a great way to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness month and bring attention to such an important cause.
“It’s a good event and maybe this will encourage other clubs and school events to donate to breast cancer awareness,” he said.
