In August, AFC Ann Arbor announced its commitment in raising $5,000 for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. In addition to raising these funds for the American Cancer Society event, AFC Ann Arbor will also host The Mighty Oak Kids Zone at the October 14th walk set to take place at Washtenaw Community College.
The Mighty Oak Kids Zone will offer the younger participants a chance to meet some of their favorite players, test their soccer skills and interact with Nutmeg the Squirrel.
Senior Community Development Manager Abigail Samuels is thrilled the club has partnered with Making Strides to help raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research and programs and services to support cancer survivors and their families.
She added, “Making Strides is about bringing our community together around a cause we are passionate about--breast cancer. As a leader in Ann Arbor, AFC Ann Arbor joining Making Strides not only helps our event to more accurately reflect who we are as a community, but adds an important voice to the the vital work the American Cancer Society is doing everyday. The event is also just really fun! What better organization to help provide something new and different for kids to do!? ”
The October 14th walk begins at 10am, with registration and opening ceremonies kicking off at 9am. To join the AFC Ann Arbor team and help raise funds, click here.
In addition to sponsoring the kids zone, AFC Ann Arbor will also be sponsoring The Mighty Oak Memory Tree. Participants will have the opportunity to write a personal message on a pink ribbon to friend or family member they’ve lost to the disease, or in honor of someone fighting, before attaching it to the tree.
AFC Ann Arbor General Manager, Bilal Saeed is captaining The Mighty Oak’s Making Strides team and was eager to get more involved with the event from the beginning.
“It’s an important cause to our club and the community so we wanted to do more than just raise money for Making Strides. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to help support survivors, their friends and families and other participants at Making Strides Ann Arbor,” added Saeed.
About AFC Ann Arbor
Association Football Club (AFC) Ann Arbor sprung roots in the summer of 2015 competing in the Great Lakes Premier League. In 2016, The Mighty Oak (as they’re also known) bumped up to the National Premier Soccer League to compete at an even higher level joining the likes of Lansing United and Detroit City FC. In their inaugural season in the NPSL, Ann Arbor was one of sixteen teams (out of 96) to qualify for the playoffs. In 2017, the team won the Great Lakes Conference Championship, won its first NPSL playoff match (advancing to final eight in country/Midwest Region Finals) and set 12 club records.
About Making Strides
The American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks raise awareness and funds to save lives from breast cancer. Each event is a noncompetitive 3 to 5 mile walk that brings people together to make a difference for everyone who has been touched by breast cancer. The events raise money to fund innovative research, provide free information and support, and to help people reduce their breast cancer risk or find it early when it's most treatable.
From the opening ceremony to the post-walk entertainment, a Making Strides event is a celebration of survivors and opportunity to remember loved-ones lost. It's a day that shouldn't be missed and won't be forgotten.