“In this family, no one fights alone.”
The seven-word message featured on the shirts of the Yelm and Ridgeline middle schools fastpitch teams was as widespread as the smiles and pink decorations during a friendly fundraiser game at Ridgeline Middle School on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
The two teams united to support Brandi Abramoski, the mother of Britney, a Ridgeline student athlete, and her family as she battles breast cancer. Students donned pink and white shirts with the message of hope and sported pink ribbons and other pink attire, and they teamed up to create signs that said “Strike Out Cancer.”
Local businesses got involved with the fundraiser as well, as Kaos Dance Elite donated money directly to Abramoski and her family, and Gamer Graph-X donated shirts which were for sale during the game. Yelm Cinemas, Puerto Vallarta, Starbucks and Lattin’s Country Cider Mill & Farm donated gift cards for a raffle. Parents took command of the fundraiser to raise money for Abramoski and her family.
Overall, the event and raffle raised approximately $900 for the family. Yelm Middle School head fastpitch coach Lindsay Walton said the Ridgeline Storm and the Yelm Whirlwinds, referred to as “cross-town rivals,” have rallied around the Abramoski family since the diagnosis at the beginning of the year.
“Regardless if it’s Ridgeline Middle School or Yelm Middle School, we’re all family. Eventually, these girls are going to play together at the high school and not against each other,” Walton said. “Any chance you can have the opportunity to support somebody who’s going through a hard time, it always feels good to give back.”
One of the missions for Walton and RMS fastpitch head coach Jackie Hawkins was to show the students the power of spreading positivity and support for those in need.
“We don’t get opportunities to show them that it’s bigger than sports sometimes, and I think just getting the opportunity to show them that there’s more out there to support and be proud of and try to be part of your community is really fun,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins said not only have players supported the Abramoski family each of the four times the Storm and Whirlwinds have faced each other, but students and staff around RMS have shown support by wearing pink.
“It hit us hard when she got diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of the year. She was starting to battle and so they’d miss some things and Britney had to leave for a few things,” Hawkins said. “It’s a great family, and we also have multiple people at multiple schools, teachers that are also currently fighting. We thought it would be really fun to do a game together and try to donate some proceeds to the family.”