Sachem's 'Heritage Day' Nets 13K In Funds

The Maurer Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for breast cancer research, said its recent joint effort with the Sachem School District raised more than $13,000 for the organization.

The foundation and Sachem's "Shoot for the Cure" exhibition basketball game held on February 16 was part of a yearly fundraiser for breast health education. The event was postponed twice because of the winter blizzard, but eventually went off without a hitch.

“There was a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and participation from all levels of the school,” Maurer Foundation Executive Director Debbie Hecht stated in a release. “This was a great event supported by health teachers, coaches of both the girls basketball team and boys football team, the Athletic Director, the teachers, the students who ran the event and played, and all of the spirited fans.”

Sachem's 2nd Annual Heritage Day featured an assortment of highlights symbolic of the cause, the release stated. For example, the building’s walls at Sachem East High School were decorated with pink paper basketballs on sale for $1 each. Sales of the pink decorations accounted for $3,000 of the total $13,000 raised, according to the foundation.

Pink shirts were also sold, along with pink hair extensions offered in exchange for donations, and members of the Sachem East football team volunteered to sell refreshments and man the raffle tables. 

The Maurer Foundation has close ties with the Sachem community. The organization's founder was the doctor who helped legendary Sachem girls basketball coach Risa Zander during her battle with cancer.