The volleyball programs at Ooltewah and Hixson are hosting breast-cancer awareness fundraisers Thursday with profits benefiting the Mary Ellen Locher Foundation scholarship fund.
The Lady Owls are hosting their seventh "Pink Out" and will get out the pink uniforms they received before playing Walker Valley last year when they take on Cleveland in a District 5-AAA match. The freshman teams begin play at 4:15 p.m., and varsity introductions will take place right before their match scheduled for about 6:15. Admission is $5, and donations will be accepted.
"The girls always make posters and decorate the gym," said Ooltewah coach Elaine Peigen, a breast-cancer survivor. "They wanted to carry on the tradition and raise some money for the foundation."
Hixson is playing Soddy-Daisy again in the second "Volley for the Cause" match. After the junior varsities play at 5 p.m., varsity players will be introduced before their match scheduled to start at about 6. Each is being asked to announce the person with ties to breast cancer that she's playing for and will present that person a pink carnation if in attendance.
"The whole gym will be pink with ribbons, balloons, the whole bit," Hixson coach Janet Tate said. "My girls really enjoy it, and it's for a good cause."
The Lady Wildcats are selling T-shirts for $10 each and are asking for donations at the door. Tate said because this is also homecoming week, portions of Hixson Pike and Old Hixson Pike will be blocked off for a parade around the time of the match, so taking an alternate route through Middle Valley is recommended.