Ephs to Play for Friends of Jacklyn Foundation
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Williams College softball team will be playing with
extra incentive when they open their 2010 season with a 14-game Spring Break trip to California. In addition to working for a return to the NESCAC tournament, they will be playing for their honorary teammate and sister Taryn Murphy, and for the Friends of Jaclyn foundation.The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, charitable organization that improves the quality of life for children with pediatric brain tumors and their families. FOJ matches a child with a college or high school sports team based on geographic location. The Williams Softball team is matched with Murphy through the Safe on the Sidelines program, for siblings of kids afflicted with brain tumors.
The Ephs will open their California portion of the 2010 schedule with a non-conference game vs. Lewis & Clark University in Orange, Calif. on Monday, March 22, and they will conclude the trip in Claremont with a doubleheader vs. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on the Tuesday, March 30.
"I'm really proud of how hard the women on this team work on fundraising and for the communities we are a part of, not only for our team, but for FOJ, local schools, the youth center and other causes near to our team’s heart," said head coach Kris Herman.
The Spring Break fundraising campaign for FOJ will solicit donations from members of the community, friends, family, professors, Williams students, and local businesses based on the softball team's performance on the spring trip in California. Flat donations are welcome, but additionally donators will be able to donate in five statistical categories: hits, runs scored, total bases, stolen bases, and strikeouts thrown by Eph pitchers.
Senior captain Jess Cross has spearheaded the team’s work with FOJ, along with the program’s "Team Taryn," a small group organized to lead the way, made up of junior Jessie Herzer, sophomore Ali Hart and junior Kaitlin Dinet.
"If you donate $2 per stolen base and we steal 25 bases in California, you will donate $50," said Cross. "We think it’s an exciting way for the people to get excited about their pledges and be able to follow our progress in California all while donating to a great cause!"
The Eph goal is to raise $3500 for the foundation, but more importantly for each team member to get 20 individual donators, working to touch as many people as possible to spread the word about pediatric brain tumors and the Friends of Jaclyn foundation. Last year the team raised over $6000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts.
Following the team’s FOJ Week game on Saturday, April 10, the team will present a check to the foundation, with team member Taryn Murphy in attendance. You can help make it a grand slam by joining as a donor.
Donations for the Friends of Jaclyn foundation are being accepted here.
