PEMBROKE, N.Y. — The Pembroke Girls Basketball team is celebrating 11 years of "Shooting for a Cure" as they get ready to tip off against their rival, Oakfield-Alabama, Friday night.
The event was started in honor of breast cancer survivor Toni Funke and cancer survivors across Western New York. In the previous 10 years, the event has raised more than $200,000 for cancer research at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. In 2021, despite the pandemic, the team raised a staggering $48,000.
The JV game starts at 5:30 p.m., and the varsity team tips off at 7 p.m. There will be check presentations, raffles, and food sales.
The team spends months planning the event and fundraising, in addition to their after-school practices.
"You've got a lot of freshman and sophomores on this team that are learning very valuable lessons. It's going to continue to develop and mature over the years. I think the goal is to just keep that mission going and make sure people in our community know that they are loved and thought of," said game coordinator Michael Wilson.
Last year, there was just a small number of fans due to COVID restrictions, but this year, they expect a full house.
"This year to be able to have our Pembroke community and Oakfield coming in, it's going to be a special night. A packed gym. Emotion. Love and all those good vibes. Energy. You're going to be able to feel it walking around the school and when you're watching the game," said Wilson.
Wilson said the team gets support not only from the small Pembroke community but has also seen donations come in from all across the country.
"There are just so many people that love to see these kids in action and support our community. This is the good stuff, right? It's the good vibes, the good feel. I think that is a very magnetic action and magnetic act because when you have young kids doing these types of things in a community this small, it really... it's inspiring," said Wilson.