By Jasmine Willis
DANSVILLE — The Dansville Central Lighthouse Team reached out to the community to raise money for the Ann and Carl Myers Cancer Center.
Community For A Cure was held at the high school gymnasium on Jan. 10. The Dansville Mustangs Varsity Basketball and Wayland Eagles Varsity Basketball Boys and Girls Teams played in support of this great cause.
There was a basket raffle, 50/50, face painting, t-shirt sales, bracelets, key chains, concession stand, and photo booth for the event.
Dansville Art Teacher Matt Buckholtz designed the logo for the Community For A Cure T-Shirts. The Lighthouse Team came up with the slogan.
Community For A Cure raised $4,044.05 by the end of the night for the Ann and Carl Myers Cancer Center at Noyes Hospital.
An induction ceremony into the 2019 Athletic Wall of Fame took place on the same night with a special tribute to Gary “Lark” Lemen. The inductees were Aaron Morrow, Coaches Phyllis and Larry Greene, and Coach Val Fadziewicz.
Lighthouse Team member Emma Beardsley said the group wanted to keep the tradition alive.
“We had such a great turnout for Hoops for Hope. We wanted to open it up for others who have been through cancer. Last year we had students and parents who had cancer,” she said. “We have had a lot of great support from the community.”
Lighthouse Team member Jasmyn Fox said they intend to make this an annual tradition at the school.
“We wanted to start a tradition. What better way to start a new tradition than the start of a new decade,” she said. “We are all graduating, but plan on empowering whatever community we end up in for college.”
There were other students who helped out in the event from the National Honor Society and the National Art Society. The main focus was on The Lighthouse Team who worked on this event since last Spring.
Lighthouse Team member Kiersten Conrad said it was great to see the community come out to support one another.
“There is a lot of room for improvement in this event, but I have loved being a part of it,” she said. “I think it is so great to see the community come out to support such a wonderful cause.”
Fox said her stepfather lost his mother to breast cancer recently.
“There is a personal reason why I got involved. My stepfather lost his mother to breast cancer. She was very important to all of us. She played a huge role in the community,” she said.
Beardsley said cancer has impacted her family as well.
“My grandmother had colon cancer and my aunt had breast cancer. I have seen what cancer does firsthand. I would help them both out when they were sick,” she said. “I love being a part of something that is going to help the cancer center.”
Lighthouse Team member Mary Catherine Aikin said this event will continue to giveback to the community.
“Many families in the community have had to suffer from cancer. I love being part of this tradition that will go to a great cause,” she said. “I love giving back to the community. We are not the only ones who benefit from the center. Everyone uses the cancer center.”
Dansville Art Teacher Kristen Pullen helped organize the event.
“I jumped in to help out with the basket raffle. My main focus was the orders, the tye dye sheet for the photos, and setting up for the event. We were really lucky to get this event off the ground this year,” she said. “We have lots of kids with many different strengths who work very well together. Dogwood Floral came over last minute to help us out with balloons. We are very thankful to them for that. We have had many businesses, parents, students, and teachers help out with this event. It is nice to see the students want this to be an ongoing tradition and to focus on a charity.”
Buckholtz said the students did this mostly on their own. He was there just to pave the way for them.
The Ann and Carl Myers Cancer Center has benefited everyone from Pennsylvania to Rochester. It has served 8,000 visits a year.
The 50/50 raffle came to $241. The Dansville Mustang Varsity Basketball Girls won 51 to 38. The Wayland Eagles Varsity Basketball Boys won 72 to 57.
UR Medicine/Noyes Health CEO Amy Pollard said the money will all go into a general fund for the cancer center.
“We put the money into a general fund for the cancer center. It will be used for patient’s needs, transportation costs, and patient’s supplies. We will use the money to keep the cancer center running,” she said. “We get about 8,000 patient visits a year to the center. That is 8,000 times they didn’t have to go to Rochester. We get them now all the way from South Pennsylvania.”
Pollard said the students are welcome to come visit the cancer center on closing hours to see what the money is being used for.
Dansville High School Principal Tom Frazier said he is incredibly proud of the students.
“I am incredibly proud of the effort the students put into this event. It was a long process for all of them. They never gave up. They took on the lion share of the work. They were dedicated to see this through to the end,” he said.
Superintendent Paul Alioto said seeing the students work hard gives him hope.
“I am very proud of the Lighthouse Team for making this event happen. It makes me feel good about the future. I know this generation will take good care of us,” he said.
Aaron Morrow was an All-Star Athlete both in football and basketball at Dansville Central. Morrow was selected First Team All Greater Rochester, Second Team All-Star, and All Country All-Star in football. He was part of the 1990-91 Livingston County Division 1 Football Championship. He was an All-County All-Star in basketball.
For 21years Larry and Phyllis Greene changed the lives of many cheerleaders. “The Coach Greenes” taught life lessons, perseverance, determination, competitiveness, and forgiveness to all the girls. They helped these young girls grow into fine adults who still called upon them to be mentors. The coaches will be remembered in the school community as the finest of their kind.
Mustang Cheerleaders won countless invitationals, 12 League Championships, one National Championship, five sectional Championships, and one NYS championship. They were awarded coaches of the year eight times in a row.
Val Fadziewicz was a long-time coach of Mustang Runners. He accomplished; Girls Cross Country:193 wins, 38 losses; two Sectional Titles, and three League Championships; Boys Cross Country: 159 wins, 72 losses; one Sectional Title, one League Championship. Indoor Track: one Sectional Championship, OutDoor Track: 175 wins, 32 losses; one Sectional Title, six League Championships. He was Coach of The Year. He invested a love and passion for running in all of his athletes.