North Summit leads breast cancer fund-raising effort

The North Summit Braves led the fund-raising effort within the Swing-for-Life Hit-a-thon, which has raised money for breast cancer research for the past five years.

This year, the money stays close to home as founder and director of the event, Rowland Hall softball coach Kathy Howa opted to donate the money to the Huntsman Cancer Institute in the name of the doctors who helped her beat breast cancer five years ago.

The event raised a record $70,000 and the teams that participated in the hit-a-thon will present a check to Huntsman Cancer Institute officials on June 1.
Kelli Stewart and Jenessa Williams, both of whom play softball and volleyball for the 2A Braves, each raised $1,000 on their own. The team total was around $3,000, which was one of the highest. Union High school teamed up with some Uintah players and accelerated league players to raise a little over $3,000 as well.

In addition to raising a record amount for the cause of breast cancer research, the hit-a-thon attracted a record number of teams. About 30 softball teams and some accelerated programs joined the event, which offers the teenagers a chance to raise money for a disease that may someday affect them or someone they love. Additionally, two baseball teams participated this year — Juan Diego and Rowland Hall-St. Marks.

The Hit-a-thon started five years ago as Howa was still undergoing treatment and began with just three schools — Juan Diego, North Summit and Rowland Hall — and the teams raised a little more than $12,000 for the cause.