Why is Coaches vs. Cancer so successful in Knoxville?

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January 26, 2012

Why is Coaches vs. Cancer so successful in Knoxville?

Al and Jerri Uitermarkt Journal-Express The Zope Gazette Thu Jan 26, 2012, 12:17 PM CST

Knoxville —

To the editor:

How many times have you heard that in every group, organization, etc., there are only a few people that do all the work and everyone else just sits back and reaps the benefits? How many times have you heard negative comments about today's youth? How many times have you heard that most people expect to be given things without working for them? How many times have you taken our local media for granted and don't think what they do can impact our community? How many times have you heard negative comments about our school system or our community?

All you had to do this past week was attend the Coaches vs Cancer event at the Knoxville High School, or listened to KNIA/KRLS's coverage of the event or read about it in the Journal-Express to know that the above comments in the town of Knoxville are just not accurate!

An event as successful as this is only possible by the commitment, generosity, dedication, and sacrifice of many, many individuals and businesses. It cannot be as successful as it is without our community's support, without the support of our local business community or without the support of our schools.

This entire event would not be nearly as successful if it weren't for our young people! The Strike Out Cancer bowling event and the afternoon Alumni Games were both organized and carried out by students. Several of the 280 silent auction items were gathered and brought in by girls on the team and other students. Several young people participated in the Laps for Hope that raised several thousand dollars.

How many times have you heard that you should shop local to keep our business community alive?

A great deal of the money raised was by direct monetary contributions and donated merchandise from the business community. We allow them to be a contributor to this worthwhile cause by keeping our business in town. Thank your local businesses for their generous contributions when you shop local.

The Journal-Express and KNIA/KRLS provide valuable coverage for the Coaches vs Cancer event so that our community gets informed and excited to attend.

How many times have you thought that your small donation toward finding a cure for cancer couldn't possibly make a difference? Every donation counts! We think back to when my husband's mother got breast cancer. At that time it was a certain death sentence. Today it's a different story. We all know many, many cancer survivors, regardless of the type of cancer. Progress is being made and if everyone continues to make small donations, we will one day be able to prevent this disease.

What did all the contributors get from helping Knoxville's Coaches vs Caner be a such a success? They all win because the money raised will help educate people about early detection; it will help fund the research to find a cure for all types of cancer and it instilled PRIDE in our community.

We would personally like to say a heartfelt 'Thank You' to everyone that contributed in any way! It makes us very proud of Knoxville! As our mayor has said many times, “Knoxville has a lot to offer” and we couldn't agree more!

Al & Jerri Uitermarkt

Knoxville

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