Oberlin, Ohio – For a third time, the Oberlin Football team partnered with the
Go4theGoal Foundation to raise funds and awareness for kids battling cancer in Ohio.
Through primarily a two-week online campaign conducted during the bye week, the Yeomen raised more than $8,150 in 2022 to eclipse more than $13,000 total dollars raised in the past two years during three efforts to help battle pediatric cancer in Northeast Ohio.
In 2022, the OC Football team was organized into two fundraising groups led by student-athletes
Jackson Lotinsky of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and
Brent Larson of Fort Collins, Colorado. Lotinsky, who watched a friend battle cancer growing up, led the winning team by dollars raised and ended as the No. 2 overall fundraiser on the Yeomen squad.
"Cancer is something personal for me," Lotinsky said. "I watched two high school football teammates battle cancer. They won because of the research and help funded by organizations like Go4TheGoal. We also have to remember all cancer research and funding is important. I just lost my aunt to ovarian cancer on September 22. We can never stop researching and trying to find a cure - I don't want to keep losing people we love to this horrible disease."
With an initial 2022 goal of raising $5,000, set to double previous total efforts, the Yeomen football team surpassed this mark within the first few days of fundraising and set a secondary goal, also bested.
"The Go4TheGoal fundraiser was a huge success not only for Oberlin Football but for those who have been affected by cancer" Larson said. "It is fulfilling to know we are directly helping those people whose lives are impacted and I'm proud of my teammates who helped contribute to this cause."
Included in the traditional showing of yellow shoelaces during the Go4TheGoal game vs. Hiram was a "Pink Out" organized by the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) across all OC contests over the weekend of Oct. 1 to recognize the opening of breast cancer awareness month.
The top six fundraisers, in addition to Lotinsky, in 2022 were:
"I'm blown away by how our players responded in a deeply personal way to raise the standard from past years in community engagement, but also to share in conversation and action how cancer has touched their lives and what they can each do to help," said
Roseanna Smith, running backs coach and director of the initiative. "Kids in Northeast Ohio and their families will be forever impacted by this work."
The offense paced total fundraising dollars with Larson's offensive line as the top position group at $1,221. QB and RB rooms each also eclipsed $1,100. The defensive line led all positions at $1,935, anchored by Lotinsky and Draper.
"Our guys did an unbelievable job in 2022 linking up with Go4TheGoal for year 3 and knocking out an incredible fundraising effort as a team," said Head Coach
Steve Opgenorth. "They are an inspiring group and I am so proud of what they accomplished to help the fight against pediatric cancer."
Heisman Club board member and OC football alum Jordan Kaltman '01 supported the team's fundraising efforts on game day.
All funds raised in 2022 supported Go4theGoal which provides children undergoing cancer treatment and their families with financial assistance, runs fun hospital-based programs, grants special wishes, and supplies state of the art electronic products to children and pediatric oncology units across the country.
Since 2007, Go4theGoal has funded nearly $1,000,000.00 in research – a critical piece of the puzzle as cancer is the leading cause of death among children, yet less than 4% of federal funding goes to fight pediatric cancer.
You can still support the mission of Go4theGoal and donate on behalf of Oberlin Football by making an online donation
here.
About Go4theGoal Foundation
Go4theGoal Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2006 by Dr. Richard and Beth Stefanacci, soon after their oldest son Richard was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. In 2011 Go4theGoal launched two national campaigns, National Pediatric Cancer Awareness Day and Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer. These campaigns give schools, businesses, and sports teams an opportunity to raise awareness and much needed support for kids battling cancer. For the past four consecutive years, Go4theGoal has earned the honor of "Top Rated Non-Profit" by Great Nonprofits and is a 2021 Platinum Nonprofit by Guidestar.
