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Breast cancer baseball tournament to raise funds for foundation

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and to raise early awareness the annual baseball tournament Save 2nd Base will be held.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and to raise early awareness the annual baseball tournament Save 2nd Base will be held in Leslieville Sept. 11 to 13.

This is the fourth year for the tournament, with this year’s tournament spanning three days, a change from previous years of the tournament lasting only one day.

The teams are made up of men and women wearing pink who will play baseball in  two diamonds this year.

Tamara Lawrence is the woman behind the event. Her idea to host a baseball tournament to raise funds for breast cancer research was inspired by her desire to help her aunt who was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago.

Now, four years later, she still works hard to make the event happen and has raised almost $18,000 all together in previous years. This money goes to the Alberta Cancer Foundation.

In order to play in the tournament each team had to pay $300 and Lawrence said some teams were sponsored and other teams had each player chip in $30.

To help raise money for the foundation Lawrence said the raffle table will be there again this year.

“We’re still doing a raffle table because that’s how we make all of our money,” Lawrence said.

Besides raising money for a very worthy cause Lawrence said she wants everyone at the event to have fun.

The event was held in Eckville for one day last year around the same time and $6,463 was raised.

The event has grown in popularity as all 14 teams have all the players they need, with some teams playing year after year. For people wanting to play next year registrations can be made at this year’s event.

What motivates Lawrence to keep up with the event is the fact that cancer is hereditary in her family and she has been faced with the risks of dealing with the illness herself.

“It hits home for me,” Lawrence said. “It would be nice to have some more research.”

Donations can still be made by contacting Tamara Lawrence by telephone at 403-373-1209 or by donating online at www.bustamove.ca.