News : Pink night unites VS basketball players with cancer survivors again

Several breast cancer survivors were recognized before the girls basketball game Friday.

Mackenzie Stueck escorts cancer survivor Jorgie Bendull during the Pink Night, Friday.

Displays, t-shirt sales, a silent auction and information packets were available.

Cancer survivors received a standing ovation from the audience, then posed for this photo.

Ryan Davis was one of many who bid on the items in the silent auction.

The Vikettes signed this pink basketball, which was sold via silent auction.

Cancer survivor Pat McCleary is escorted by her granddaughter, Vikette Stephanie Lash.

Kathleen Steffen escorts VS French teacher Lois Mulvaney during the Vikettes' Pink Night

Pink socks, a variety of pink (and black and pink) shirts, and even a pink basketball were part of the annual Pink Night for the Vinton-Shellsburg Vikettes basketball team Friday evening.

Coach Deb Hannemen and her players organized a Pink Night event this year to raise funds for the local fight against breast cancer, as well as to show their support for local survivors and to share information about the disease.

More than 20 survivors, wearing black and pink shirts, received a standing ovation from the crowd as they were introduced before the varsity game, each escorted to the middle of the gym floor by a Vikette player. The Marion players also wore black and pink shorts over their crimson, gold and white uniforms before the game to show their support. Indian players participated in last year's Pink Night, as well.

The survivors introduced included relatives, friends, neighbors and even teachers of the players. Those present on Friday included Jorgie Bendull, Diane Berger, Shirley Butts, Kathie Ervin, Roxanne Harms, Sue Hill, Lu Karr, Nancy Long, Pat McCleary, Lois Mulvaney, Irma Neve, Cindy Pattee, Judy Renken, Lisa Staab, Angie Tharp, Charlotta Toth-Fisher, Deb Wilberg, Barbara Wittmer, Janet Woodhouse, Dilyn McNeill and Kris Ferguson. Patricia Lacey and Peggy Harris were honored but absent.

Virginia Gay Hospital Imaging Services Technologists Monica Stark and Maria Davis were also present, selling shirts and sharing information about breast cancer. Stark said that the mammography unit at VGH will be put into service on Tuesday, adding that the January schedule is already mostly full. There will be a ribbon cutting for the new unit Monday, at 2 p.m.

The pink basketball, along with a few pink ribbon handbags, were sold via a silent auction.

Some survivors present on Friday were just beginning their cancer journey; others have dealt with the disease years ago. Some VSHS students were wearing four-year old black and pink shirts witht the words "Nous sommes avec toi" on the front, a tribute to survivor LoIs Mulvaney, the French teacher, whom students rallied around in 2008.