Elite Soccer Players Donate $1,900 to NCH Breast Center
Elite Soccer, its non-profit arm, the Elite Soccer Community Organization (ESCO), and the new Dunkin' Donuts Arlington Park, presented a check for $1,900 to Northwest Community Healthcare's (NCH) Gift a Mammogram Program on November 3rd.
Throughout October, Elite Soccer players wore pink jerseys and shoe laces in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Over 500 jerseys were sold, with proceeds benefitting NCH. In addition, Youth Leaders from ESCO's Youth Leadership Program organized a service project and sold nearly 1,000 pink bracelets that said, "Kick Cancer." Proceeds from bracelet sales also benefitted NCH.
Finally, Elite Soccer sponsored a "Pink Out" game on October 26th, featuring its U18 Girls Premier Black team, where fans were encouraged to wear pink. Dunkin' Donuts Arlington Park sold pink donuts, hot chocolate and coffee, and donated 100% of the sales to NCH. The ESCO Youth Leaders also sold 50/50 raffle tickets that night as well.
In all, the various fundraising efforts throughout October totaled $1,900 for NCH's Gift a Mammogram Program.
"Many of our players' families have been touched by breast cancer in one way or another. This is something simple we can do as an organization to raise awareness and additional funds to help the cause. I'm just grateful that we established ESCO to able to organize our community outreach efforts in a more systematic way," said Mike Steele, President of Elite Soccer and of ESCO's Board of Directors.
Christine Masonick, RN, MSN, OCN, NCH Breast Program Manager, said,
"NCH's Breast Program is a place where people envision and create programs that sustain and enhance the lives and the lives of their families. Elite Soccer in partnering with NCH it is a coming together of people with shared values, common concerns and willingness to work together to create the kind of healthcare we envision for ourselves and our families. Elite Soccer, it's non-profit ESCO, and Dunkin' Donuts, through their generous donation to Gift a Mammogram," serves those most in need in our community."
Elite Soccer is a comprehensive soccer-based youth development organization that serves youth ages 3-23 in year round programming dedicated to teach life lessons through soccer. For more information about Elite Soccer, visit www.elitesoccer.net.
ESCO is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to building community by developing youth through soccer in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. For more information about ESCO, visit www.elitesoccercommunity.org.