Donations are being accepted online
here.
WILLIAMSTOWN, MA -- 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 is all about love, support, and friendship. FOJ matches a child with a college or high school sports team based on geographic location. The Williams Softball team is matched with Taryn through the Safe on the Sidelines program, for siblings of kids afflicted with brain tumors.
“Taryn and the Murphy family are really a part of our team,” said head coach Kris Herman. “They’ve inspired us through their journey with Jaclyn’s tumor and with the creation of the Foundation. We feel as if both the family and the team has been touched by being a part of each others’ lives.”
The Ephs will open their California portion of the 2010 schedule with a non-conference game vs. Lewis & Clark University in Orange, California on March 22nd and they will conclude the trip in Claremont with a doubleheader vs. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on the 30th.
"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 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 Kaitlin Dinet ’11. "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 April 10th, 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.
