By Kristy Wagner

Staff Writer

Face painting, baked goods and halftime games added fun and excitement to the Kennebunk High School girls’ basketball game against Biddeford last Friday night.

The events were a student effort to raise awareness and money for a good cause.

With the help of Jennifer Frizzell, an assistant girls’ basketball coach at Kennebunk High School, students chose the Jan. 6 regular season varsity basketball game against Biddeford to host the second Hoops for Hope fundraiser to raise money for the American Cancer Society’s pancreatic cancer fund.

Fans, players and Hoops for Hope volunteers were encouraged to wear purple and participate in activities such as a bake sale and 50/50 raffle organized by the school’s Peer Helpers. Purple is the ribbon color for pancreatic cancer.

Peer Helpers and Frizzell requested that American Cancer Society earmark the funds raised for pancreatic cancer because Hoops for Hope was organized in honor of Frizzell’s father, Robert R. Coty, who died in 2010 of pancreatic cancer.

“We’re sending money to the American Cancer Society, but we’re sending it so it goes toward the pancreatic cancer fund,” said Erin Brown, a junior at Kennebunk High School and member of Peer Helpers.

Peer Helpers is a group of students that tackles issues in the community and organizes efforts to create a more positive environment for faculty and students at Kennebunk High School.

The group holds various fundraisers throughout the year to give back to the community and to raise awareness for good causes.

“We do things from running the food drive and helping out local food pantries to helping out with freshmen orientation,” said Frizzell, an English teacher and faculty adviser for Peer Helpers.

Frizzell said the players and peer helpers hoped to raise more awareness of pancreatic cancer this year with the help of Coaches Versus Cancer, a collaborative effort between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

“Their goal is creating a world with less cancer,” Frizzell said.

She and members of Peer Helpers held the first Hoops for Hope fundraiser in 2011.

Frizzell said the fundraiser opened her eyes to how many others within Regional School Unit 21 have been affected by pancreatic cancer.

“We have RSU 21 administration members who have gone through or are going through (losing someone to pancreatic cancer),” Frizzell said.

Brown acted as Frizzell’s “right hand” in the organization of Hoops for Hope last year and this year. The coach said Brown managed the bake sale and other game night activities, while Frizzell handled sponsorship for the event and establishing a connection with Erika Gould, youth initiative coordinator for the American Cancer Society in Topsham.

“We’ve had four gold sponsors and four silver sponsors,” Frizzell said.

Brown said sponsor donations helped raise $1,000 before Friday’s fundraising events took place. Gold sponsors contributed $250 toward the cause and included Davalen LLC, the Lyons Agency for Insurance, the Kasprzak family and Well Dressed Interiors.

Well Dressed Interiors also provided Hoops for Hope T-shirts sold at Friday’s game. Silver sponsors donated $100 to the cause and included A&W Promotional Products, Georgetown Business Supply, Morong Motors and Port Lobster Co.

“It has been great because we’ve actually had a lot of support from the town,” Frizzell said.

She said Hoops for Hope is an opportunity to bring people together.

“It’s a great community event really, the gym is full and people are enjoying themselves,” she said.

Frizzell praised the students involved with Hoops for Hope and the dedication they have shown since the first fundraiser in 2011.

“The kids just ran with it,” she said.

Last year’s fundraiser benefited the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, an organization of volunteers and health care professionals that functions out of Manhattan Beach, Calif. The goal of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is to make a positive difference in the pancreatic cancer community by providing support for patients, holding fundraisers and educating people on the disease, according to the network’s website.

“Pancreatic cancer is a very aggressive cancer,” Frizzell said.

Statistics show that 4 percent of people with the disease can expect to live five years after diagnosis. Frizzell said her father’s diagnosis occurred on Valentine’s Day and he died less than one month later. The disease made headlines in 2009 with the death of actor Patrick Swayze and more recently when Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc., died from pancreatic cancer in 2011.

Brown said she wants to continue helping out with Hoops for Hope even after she graduates from Kennebunk High School.

“I love doing (Hoops for Hope),” Brown said.

She baked cupcakes with purple frosting for the benefit game’s bake sale and ran the table while other peer helpers and student volunteers sold T-shirts and purple bracelets. They also painted purple ribbons on the faces of fans.

Students who participate in the school’s Captain’s Club joined Peer Helpers in the effort to raise awareness and combat pancreatic cancer. Captain’s Club is a group of students who sign a waiver indicating they will not do drugs or drink alcohol. Brown said she appreciated the extra help the club provided.

Proceeds from admission to the game and half the money raised from the raffle went to Hoops for Hope, a total of $3,500. Brown said last year Hoops for Hope raised $2,500 and this year’s goal was to raise $3,000.

Staff writer Kristy Wagner can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.