Write a commentIn 2024, after the annual St. Baldrick’s Day in Oswego County fundraising event reached the million-dollar mark after 18 years, organizers agreed it was time to step aside.
They hoped someone else would pick up the ball and continue to raise funds for life-saving childhood cancer research. There were a couple of inquiries, but nothing materialized.
So last year, members of the Oswego State men’s lacrosse team and its coaches, who were responsible for getting things started locally back in 2007, decided they’d raise money to support the annual event at Kitty Hoynes in Syracuse, one of the biggest and most successful St Baldrick’s hosts in the world.
The team raised over $10,000 – and then the organizers at Kitty Hoynes came to the same conclusion the Oswego group had. They were also done, and they also hoped to pass the fundraising torch to others.
Committed to their tradition of supporting the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, this year’s Laker team has decided to turn back the clock and go back to the local events from 2007-2010 – the team is organizing a February 15 “Laker Lacrosse vs. Childhood Cancer” event on campus, without a lot of fanfare, but still open to the general public, including individuals and additional fundraising teams.
“We’re not going to put a lot of time into putting together a lot of the raffle baskets or silent auction items, and who knows how many other fundraising teams will join us, but we’ll be there in the Marano Campus Center Food Court, on a Sunday afternoon, and we’d love to see others join us as we ’Brave the Shave’ in solidarity with sick children,” explained Dan Witmer, assistant lacrosse coach and St. Baldrick’s VEO (Volunteer Event Organizer).
Instead of a core planning committee of local volunteers, Witmer and head coach Andrew Daly have gotten commitments from about ten of their players who wanted to play a bigger role in the planning and implementation of this year’s fundraiser.
“We raised money in the past – very successfully – but this year the guys said they were willing to do more. We’ve got freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who have stepped up,” said Daly.
“Our event goal is a modest $15K,” said junior defenseman Ben Perrotta, from Setauket, Long Island, who volunteered to be the lacrosse team’s fundraising captain this year. “We already have the lacrosse team registered (41 participants, including Coach Daly), and Coach Witmer created a Laker alumni team as well. The College’s club team also registered a team, but right now, those are the only three groups we’ve got.”
To make a donation, register as a “shavee” or fundraising participant, create a fundraising team, or just learn more about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, go to: Laker Lacrosse vs. Childhood Cancer | A St. Baldrick's Event. Other questions can be directed to Dan Witmer at daniel.witmer@oswego.edu.
