For years, The John Cooper School’s (located in Woodlands, TX) varsity volleyball team has organized a Dig Pink® event benefiting The Side-Out foundation. What began as a simple, pink-themed match has developed into one of the biggest events on our campus, as well as one of the most successful Dig Pink® events for the foundation. Our event has consistently placed top in Texas and nationally for dollars raised with over $135,000!
“All campus clubs and organizations are asked to participate as this has become an all-school affair.”
The entire event is organized and led by our varsity girls’ volleyball team. It begins over the summer as our event date is set, our fundraising goal is determined, our Side-Out fundraising page is completed and a t-shirt design is chosen. Each year, we sell around 600 t-shirts which are worn on the night of our event as well as on designated “dress-down days” (JCS has uniforms and a dress code). There is nothing more spectacular than seeing a gymnasium filled with a crowd wearing our t-shirts! The proceeds from our t-shirt sales contribute some $6,000 towards our fundraising goal.
Our Dig Pink event has developed into a month-long theme beginning on the first Monday in October. The volleyball girls prepare and share a brief video with photos and footage from the previous year’s event at school-wide meetings and debut “the shirt” for the current year. All campus clubs and organizations are asked to participate as this has become an all-school affair. Revenues from weekly bake sales and dress-down days in October are designated to Dig Pink.
Our actual Dig Pink match typically takes place on a Friday evening as the culmination of “Pink Week.” The volleyball girls decorate the entire campus over the weekend so students return on Monday to a totally “pinked-out” campus. (Besides being a great way to kick off the week’s events, decorating is a wonderful team building activity.)
Each day of the week has a theme like pink sock day, pink bandana day or pink pajama day and everyone including faculty and administration are encouraged to participate.
On the day of our event, activities begin at 4 P.M. with game time at 6:30 P.M. All campus clubs and organizations sponsor activities like face-painting by our National Art Honor Society and cookie decorating with the Culinary Club. In addition, our student government gives away pink cotton candy, pink lemonade, and pink sno-cones for donations. Our booster club grills hot dogs and burgers, also for donations. We have decorated, pink donation buckets everywhere and even pass them through the stands at both the volleyball and football games during the evening. Our entire campus is bustling with excitement and energy as our volleyball team is introduced and races through our pink “crash” sign.
If all goes according to plan, the girls win their match and celebrate another successful Dig Pink® campaign!!
