WATERVILLE — Nine central Maine high school field hockey teams will take part in the fifth annual Battle for Breast Cancer Tournament at Thomas College on Saturday to benefit the Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington.

Skowhegan, Lawrence, Messalonskee, Mt. Blue, Nokomis, Mount View, Winslow, Leavitt and Spruce Mountain will participate in the tournament, which takes place 1-9 p.m. Games will be played simultaneously on Thomas’ adjoining fields as part of the round robin tournament.

Started in 2011 by Skowhegan coach Paula Doughty, the event has raised $82,000 for the Webber Breast Care Center in five years. All of the money is used to help uninsured and under-insured working people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

“Many people go to the breast care center and can’t pay their deductible or even pay that initial deductible before it kicks in,” Doughty said. “The money we raise helps those people.”

Doughty hopes to pass the $100,000 mark this year.

Teams raise money by soliciting donations from family and friends, sponsorships from businesses and by setting up booths at the event selling food or raffle tickets.

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Thomas College donates its fields to host the games and field hockey officials work the games for free.

“It’s just a really festive event,” Doughty said.

The event begins at 1 p.m. with an opening ceremony. Games start at 1:25 p.m. and continue throughout the day and night around 8:30 p.m. where the teams, players parents and fans are invited to the center of the field to take part in the closing ceremony.

“The opening and closing ceremonies are often very, very emotional,” Doughty said. “I was amazed the first year, the kids were all hugging each other and it really meant a lot to them.”

In addition to the fundraising, teams are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to tour the Webber Center and learn more about breast cancer and its treatment. Doughty took her team on Wednesday.

“It’s very eye-opening for young girls to go in there and see where they do biopsies and talk to breast cancer survivors,” she said.

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Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children. Those wishing to donate to the Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center in their favorite team’s name can do so online at https://www.fchn.org/support/donate.

Randy Whitehouse — 621-5638

rwhitehouse@mainetoday.com

Twitter: @RAWmaterial33


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