By: Ryan Hartwig (@RyanHartwig)
GreenBayPhoenix.com

GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - As part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Green Bay volleyball program is holding a number of activities this week to help raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. Highlighting the efforts is the breast cancer awareness auction on GreenBayPhoenix.com, which ends on Friday, Oct. 26 at 7:45 p.m. CT during the team's "pink" match against Milwaukee at the Kress Center.

The auction items include a clinic for 50 children put on by the Green Bay volleyball team, a Radisson Hotel package, a game-used pink volleyball autographed by the team, a tie blanket and pillow package handmade by the Phoenix players, and bench seats for two at a Green Bay volleyball game. Bidding stations will be available at the Kress Center during Friday's match where fans can place their final bids.

In addition to the auction, performance material t-shirts featuring breast cancer ribbons and pink Phoenix volleyball logos will be sold during the match for $20. Fans can also purchase pink Phoenix logo cutouts for $1, write their names on them and display them at the Kress Center to show support during the match. The Green Bay volleyball players will also be selling both the t-shirts and logo cutouts in the University Union on Wednesday and Thursday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., encouraging students to get involved in the cause.

Green Bay head coach Debbie Kirch and her team began the breast cancer fundraising efforts in 2005 when former Phoenix player Jill Smits Damrow's (2002-05) mother developed breast cancer prior to her senior season. Damrow will be in attendance on Friday and will speak to the Kress Center crowd about breast cancer awareness, her mother's fight and the development of Green Bay volleyball's efforts prior to the start of the match.

"What started as a small, individual sport event has turned into something much bigger with the help of others in the athletics department," Kirch said. "It is now more of a department-wide effort and we have been able to make more of an impact because we have so many others involved.

"I hope that we not only make an impact on breast cancer research with the funds we raise, but also make an impact on the young women on our team. With one out of every eight women developing breast cancer in their lifetimes, the chance of us being impacted by the disease either directly or through someone close to us is significant. Knowledge is a powerful tool in fighting this disease."

Green Bay and Milwaukee will play with pink and white game balls during Friday's contest. Fans are also encouraged to show support by wearing pink, in addition to purchasing the awareness t-shirts and logo cutouts and participating in the online auction.

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