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Northwood University women's soccer team raises $800 for breast cancer research, helps complete Habitat For Humanity home

Published on 10/28/2009 12:42:08 PM
The Northwood University women's soccer team recently helped raise more than $800 for breast cancer research, as well as paint a house for some of Dallas' neediest residents.

CEDAR HILL – The Northwood University women's soccer team recently helped raise more than $800 for breast cancer research, as well as paint a house for some of Dallas' neediest residents.

Mike Ryan, president of the Duncanville Firefighters Association, said Northwood's soccer, track and cross country teams' participation in the fundraiser "Tough Enough to Wear Pink," which empowers communities at the grassroots level to raise money for breast cancer research, translated to sales of nearly 100 pink T-shirts and about $800 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Ryan added that Northwood's entire women's soccer team, their coach, Tyler Powell and athletic director Pat Malcheski were the first people ever to be named honorary members of the Duncanville Firefighters Association. They became part of such a distinguished group because of their philanthropy, including a commemoration of Sept. 11, 2001 on the anniversary last month, Ryan said.

"It was the support of a good cause. We didn't have to talk them into it. They pursued us, then took it a step further with the opposing team," Ryan said. "They really went above and beyond the normal good cause drive. When you've got the youth of today that decides to do something good and take that extra step, that's just an uncommon trait."

Ryan also said the Duncanville fire service is making a concerted effort to become involved in breast cancer research. More than half of their department has had someone in their immediate family affected by breast cancer, including Ryan's sister. Coach Powell's family also has been touched by the disease.

"One of the main reasons I pushed that is because my mother had breast cancer," Powell said. "She survived it."

Separately, Northwood's women's soccer team recently gathered in South Dallas to help build a home with Habitat for Humanity. The team spent nine hours putting two coats of paint on the exterior of the house.

"It's always nice to put others first for a change," Coach Powell said. "It puts things in perspective when you see how good we have it no matter how bad we think that things are (in our daily lives)."

Junior midfielder Teresa Torres said it was "an amazing feeling of accomplishment" at the end of the day. Freshman midfielder Babie Soto said "seeing the little kids run into the house and say 'look at our house!' " made it all worthwhile.

About Northwood University
Northwood University is committed to the most personal attention to prepare students for success in their careers and in their communities; it promotes critical thinking skills and personal effectiveness, and the importance of ethics, individual freedom and responsibility.

Private, nonprofit and accredited, Northwood University specializes in managerial and entrepreneurial education at three full-service, residential campuses located in Southern Florida, mid-Michigan and Northern Texas. Adult Degree Programs are available in eight states with many course delivery options including online. The DeVos Graduate School offers full-time, evening and industry specific master's degree programs for entrepreneurs and executives in Michigan, Texas and Switzerland. The Alden B. Dow Creativity Center on the Midland, Michigan, campus specializes in creative thinking and innovation development. International education is offered through terms abroad and in Program Centers in Switzerland, China, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Bahrain. Northwood University also operates the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Maine.

50 Years of Enterprise and Ethics
Northwood University is marking its 50-year anniversary. Founded in 1959, Northwood has grown to a national and international presence and is an influential advocate for free enterprise. Celebrations are planned across the country and around the world to commemorate the vision and success of Northwood University's founders, Drs. R. Gary Stauffer and Arthur Turner.