The sixth annual Kick-It for Kevin kickball fundraiser will be held on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The tournament, which raises money to support pediatric and adolescent cancer research, will be held on Stepan Fields and Bond Quad.
Junior Erich Jegier, game organizer for the event, said the annual tournament began in honor of Kevin Healey, a former Sorin College resident and member of the class of 2011.
“His senior year of high school he was diagnosed with cancer, so he came … into Notre Dame with his cancer diagnosis, spent the majority of time while he was a student here in the hospital, even traveled to Boston to have a part of his lung removed,” Jegier said. “Then he passed away in 2009, and unfortunately lost his battle with cancer. So we hold this event every year in honor of Kevin to raise awareness … for pediatric and adolescent cancer. We hope to have fun and raise money for the cause at the same time.”
According to Jegier, Kick-It for Kevin is the result of Sorin College's partnership with a larger national organization, Kick-It, which holds kickball tournaments in various communities across the United States to raise money for childhood cancer research.
Students can create a team for or donate to Saturday’s event by going to the Notre Dame Kick-It for Kevin page on kick-it.org
“We’re asking people to get together teams of 10 to 12 to play, and as part of the game we’re asking people to raise a minimum of $20,” Jegier said. “You get to come play, eat lunch, there are games and prizes as well, but it is really fundraising for researchers to pursue their research in cancer.”
According to Jegier, check-in for the preliminary matches will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Stepan fields. After each team plays two rounds on the fields the event will move to Bond Quad, where the semifinals and finals will be held.
“We’ll have the stage set up, we’ll have speakers, we’re hoping to get … Fr. Monk Malloy, somebody from St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and Mary Kate Healey, Kevin’s sister, ... to say a few words,” Jegier said.
“We’re hoping to raise $10,000, which is a couple thousand more than we raised last year, so we’re always trying to grow and grow. I think we’re well on our way to that.”
Jegier noted that Kick-It for Kevin’s recent Chipotle night raised just short of $1,500.
“That was huge, a lot more than we expected,” Jegier said. “Now, this week leading up to the event, we’re pushing for people to ask parents, alumni, clubs to help support and donate.”
