Though Just 1-8, Predators Are Winners Off the Field in Friday Night Fight for Breast Cancer
Adam Markowitz
Thursday May 24, 2012
For the most part, those of you loyal readers at ArenaFan are used to me complaining about the Orlando Predators, and how poor they have played on the field this season. On Friday night though, win or lose against the Jacksonville Sharks, the Predators, and the community in Orlando are huge winners. Friday night is the team's third annual Community Partnership Night, highlighting some of the best community service programs in Central Florida.
Unfortunately, it is second nature for sportswriters to more or less ignore all of the community events that their teams run. It's the nature of the beast. It's not that you, the readers don't necessarily care all that much about what teams are doing off the field, especially when they are doing great things in their communities, but in the end, you want to read how the quarterback is doing, what injuries are going to play in role in the games, and why the team is winning or losing.
For me though, this one is a heck of a lot different, as it really strikes a chord in my personal life.
Breast cancer. It is a disease that has harmed millions in this country and across the world, and my family isn't an exception to that. I have had aunts get killed by this horrid disease, and I have had others who have fought through it and lived to tell about it. Even my soon-to-be 80-year old grandmother, is now four years through her successful fight with breast cancer.
For those of you that don't know, I'm soon to be a married man. In fact, just four weeks from now, I'll be walking down the aisle with my beautiful bride, Elizabeth. And, instead of favors at our wedding, we are going to be making a donation to support breast cancer awareness. Her family has been just as affected by this disease as mine has.
And that's why this becomes especially newsworthy and heartwarming to me personally. Friday night is going to be a "pink" night for the Predators and the city of Orlando. The game will be played with the pink laced balls that were originally used for Mother's Day, and players will be wearing pink decals on their helmets to support breast cancer awareness. Fans in attendance are encouraged to wear pink as well, and this writer will be wearing his pink breast cancer pin all weekend long in support of the event.
Robin Maynard is the Founder and Chairman of Libby's Legacy, a local Orlando-based charity that supports breast cancer victims and promotes breast cancer awareness. Her organization provides free educational services for both men and women, as well as free mammograms and other diagnostic tests. Maynard is going to be the one tossing the coin on Friday night before the opening kickoff. I was fortunate enough to speak with the founder of Libby's Legacy on Thursday night for an exclusive interview. It truly was a fantastic few minutes.
"[The Predators] came to us, and are very interested in helping local charities. Libby's Legacy is all local. We are an all-volunteer organization, and all of the funds stay here in Central Florida. It is truly special," Maynard said.
Maynard also informed ArenaFan that several breast cancer survivors are going to be on hand as well with Libby's Legacy on Friday night.
The Preds are also highlighting a ton of other volunteers and volunteer groups in the Orlando community on Friday night.
Predators Director of Game Operations, Keith Recine has worked tirelessly, not just on game day ops for the team, but in the community as well. He and the Preds have partnered up with other organizations such as the Vietnam Veterans, the Salvation Army, and Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital to provide all sorts of service to some of the best charities in the greater Orlando area. The team has also been involved in such community events in recent months like the "Cover to Cover" reading initiative at Lockhart Middle School, and the "Holiday Walk for Bleeding Disorders."
Recine told ArenaFan.com, "Our relationship with Libby’s Legacy is fairly new and we feel as a league that delivering the message of breast cancer awareness is very important. To that end we have chosen different organizations to highlight each year to get that message out to Predators fans and fans around the league." He continued, "This game is about more than playing with a pink striped ball, it is about raising awareness for both the chosen organization and the message. We have had great results in working with Susan G. Komen and Rock Pink in the past and we are enjoying the partnership with Libby’s Legacy this season.
Needless to say, the stakes are high for the Predators on Friday night against their hated rivals from Jacksonville, as they try to right the ship from the hole that they have dug themselves here in the first half of the 2012 season. In the end though, it is just a game. Breast cancer is anything but.
Maynard said it herself. "Breast cancer doesn't care what month it is, or how much money you have, or what color you are. It is great to have this awareness midyear."
Whether the Preds drop to 1-9 or improve to 2-8 to get somewhat back in the thick of the fight for the playoffs is totally secondary to the rest of the events on Friday night. There is no doubt that everyone on the field and in Orlando community will be big winners on Community Partnership Night on Friday.
For more information on Community Partnership Night, please refer to the Orlando Predators Press Release about this fantastic cause.
Further information on Libby's Legacy can be found by Clicking Here, or visiting http://www.libbyslegacy.org.
Be sure to check out the ArenaFan Facebook Page, as I will be on hand on Friday night snapping pictures of all of the events before and during the game.