For the Gazette

STEVENS POINT –  The UW-Stevens Point and UW-Platteville football teams came together for the 2018 Team Schierl & BSN Sports Pink Game for Cancer on Saturday, Sept. 29. The event raised a total of $48,622.00 to donate to local charities.

Held annually, the Pink Game is a joint effort between Team Schierl, BSN Sports, the UWSP Pointers football team and UWSP Athletics.

Each year the Pink Game raises money and awareness in the fight against cancer.  Limited edition Pink Game t-shirt sales, promotions on campus before the game, the renaming of Fourth Avenue to PINK Street in the City of Stevens Point, co-sponsored activities with the UWSP Student Government Association and a collaboration with the Youth Area Football league create support and excitement for the event.  During the game, a silent auction raises additional funding through the sale of UWSP athletics memorabilia and one-of-a-kind pink jerseys, game-worn that day by the Pointers.

Charities benefitting from this year’s event include:  The Breast Cancer Family Foundation (bcff.org), promoting cancer awareness and prevention through youth health class presentations to more than 7,500 Central & Northern Wisconsin students each year; The American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge in Marshfield WI, providing a free home-away-from-home for cancer patients and their families; and the UWSP Colleges Against Cancer student organization.

In addition to the overall event donation of $48,622.00, two more donation checks were presented during the post-game ceremonies. The UWSP Pointers and Team Schierl worked with visiting team UW-Platteville to coordinate a donation to the Grant County Cancer Coalition on behalf of a current player’s mother who is battling cancer.  The player and his mother joined the Pointers on the field for this special presentation.  The final donation check for the American Family Children’s Hospital was presented to a UWSP Athletics alumnae in honor of her young daughter battling cancer.

“It is extraordinary how the Pink Game has become a true staple in fall traditions in Stevens Point.  Everyone knows someone affected by cancer.  Teaming with Team Schierl, BSN Sports, and so many Central Wisconsin partners to assist survivors and provide education to thousands of students is remarkable,” said Brad Duckworth, UWSP Athletics Director.  “The Pink Game is the essence of NCAA Division III athletics.  Standing on the field after a hard fought football game, arm in arm with our opponent, honoring survivors from both communities is special.  Athletics is so much more that sports; the Pink Game is the symbol of all that is great in college athletics.”

“We can’t thank the community enough for another great Pink Game.  Watching the fans, UWSP students, Youth Area Football families, community members and area businesses come together on a mission to fight cancer is what it’s all about,” said Tim Schierl, Team Schierl Companies Co-CEO.  “We are all impacted by cancer in some way.  To see the kind of unity created at this event is humbling.”

Sponsors of the event were Team Schierl Companies and BSN Sports, with additional support provided by U.S. Venture, BMO Harris Bank, Great Lakes Coca-Cola, Bull’s Eye Credit Union, Bio Life Plasma Services and Old Dutch Foods. In-kind support was also provided by Bushman Sign and Graphics.

Team Schierl Companies was established in 1956 by John “Butch” Schierl in the home heating oil business. TSC is currently owned and operated by John’s three sons, Tim, Fritz, and Bill Schierl. TSC operates 62 retail locations in Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan focusing primarily in service industries. In “Building Tomorrow Together,” Team Schierl Companies employs 600 Associates between The Store, Subway, Schierl and Hartje Tire & Service Centers, and Team Administration.