Play 4 Erin

December is a joyful time of year. 
Not only is it festive as we ready ourselves for Christmas, but it also kicks off the basketball season, which is the best sport of all. 
The Dogies and Lady Dogies are preparing this week for the annual Stateline Shootout, which is the tournament that will usher them into the Christmas break, and teams will kick off the three days of competition against the Sundance Bulldogs on Thursday.
Traditionally, the game against the Crook County teams is also a Pink game where each squad auctions off a pink, autographed basketball to the highest bidder in order to raise money for cancer research and support for local efforts to provide for those who may be undergoing cancer treatment.
These Pink games have been happening for as long as I can remember in my tenure here at Newcastle High School, and they are common across the state in pretty much every high school sports season.
Over the years these contests have raised thousands of dollars for a very worthy cause, and within the last several years the money generated from these auctions has been redirected from the American Cancer Society to local organizations providing services.
The Christmas season tends to stimulate generosity in folks because, quite simply, it’s the time of year when philanthropic tendencies are a top priority, so the timing of the Bulldog/Dogie Pink game is always perfect for its purpose. 
This year, the event is taking on a much more personal meaning for the communities of Sundance and Newcastle, as cancer has hit close to home for members of both SHS and NHS.
On Thursday, the proceeds from the autographed basketballs from all four teams
will be going toward helping to defray medical costs for Erin Humphrey, who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer. 
The news hit the Humphrey family in November when Erin and her husband Zeb learned the diagnosis, and while no time is good for dealing with the disease, having it come during the holidays seems to compound the issue.
Erin is the daughter-in-law of Andrea Humphrey, who has taught in Sundance and has coached the Lady Bulldog’s volleyball team for more than 30 years, and she is the sister-in-law of Dogie head coach Allen Von Eye.
As such, this Pink night has taken on a much deeper meaning for the teams as well as the fans. As Von Eye stated, “the ability to use our platform like this for good causes is awesome, and this year especially, it means so much for all.”
In this season of giving I hope that the hearts of these small towns open up on Thursday to support a cause that is so close to our own. 
The Lady Dogies/Lady Bulldogs contest begins at 5:30 and the autographed basketballs will be auctioned off at half time. The Dogies/Bulldogs game follows the girls’ contest and their auction will be held at half time as well.