[KHTS] – The Saugus High School Girl’s Softball team will be holding their first Knock Out A Cure Hit-A-Thon fundraiser on Thursday, October 17.

“I am a four year cancer survivor,” said Misty Fitzgerald, a Saugus Softball parent and an organizer of the event. “I have always been involved with breast cancer walks because my grandma had cancer. When we talked about different fundraisers we can do for the team, we talked about a hit-a-thon and incorporating breast cancer awareness since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.”

The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. and run until 8:30 p.m. Girls from the entire Saugus High School Softball team will be at the event.

“Everyone liked the idea of the event and a lot of the girls are looking at different colleges,” Fitzgerald said “Those colleges are very involved with their communities and like to see that the girls are doing their part in community service.”

A portion of the proceeds will go to the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Imaging Center located in Valencia.  Another portion will go to the Saugus High School Girl’s Softball team.

“The director of the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Imaging Center is very excited and will attend the event,” Fitzgerald said. “She thinks that it’s so great that young ladies want to support this cause.”

The event will be held at the William S. Hart Pony Baseball & Softball Complex, 23780 Auto Center Court in Valencia.

“We will have the Hart Pony Baseball & Softball Canteen open during the Hit-A-Thon as well as a 50/50 raffle and silent auction items for this event,” said Kim Aholt, a Saugus Softball parent and vice president of operations for Saugus Softball. “We welcome survivors and anyone who is battling breast cancer to become apart of this event.”

Survivors and anyone who has been touched by breast cancer is asked to come to the event to be honored before the Hit-A-Thon begins.

“We will also be selling event t-shirts for $15 at the event,” Fitzgerald said. “There will also be pink jelly bands and car magnets whose proceeds will all go to the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Imaging Center.”

Bagger Sports, Step In House, and William S. Hart Baseball and Softball are sponsoring the event.

“Not only is Hart baseball letting us use their field, they will be donating 20% of the revenue from the Canteen to the event,” Fitzgerald said. ”Bagger Sports will have a breast cancer baseball glove that will be raffled off and all proceeds go to the Imaging Center.”

All of the softball girls that are participating in the event will hit in honor of someone that has been affected by breast cancer.

“My daughter, Cassidy, is hitting in honor of her two great grandmothers and I,” Fitzgerald said.

Anyone can make a pledge, even if unable to attend.  To make a pledge or get more information, contact Misty Fitzgerald at ms.dfitz@yahoo.com or (661)-341-1628.

“As a team, we can ‘Knock Out A Cure’ for breast cancer,” Fitzgerald said, “I hope to continue this event even after my children graduate.”

– Jessica Boyer