Holy Cross to Hold Weightlifting Competition to Raise Money for Breast Cancer

The fourth annual Benching for Breast Cancer fundraising event will take place on Friday, Dec. 9 at 4 p.m. in the Hart Center’s Varsity Weight Room at the College of the Holy Cross. 

Working in teams of four, students (who pay a $10 participation fee) solicit donation pledges based on how much weight they think they can lift.  While wearing a costume, they compete against other teams lifting weights for prizes in three categories:  best team costume, most enthusiastic team, and most money raised.

Madison Horl ‘12, the chief organizer of the event, has been involved with planning Benching for Breast Cancer since her sophomore year. “My favorite part of the event is probably the day of, about a half-hour into the fundraiser. At that time the gym is usually full of students, faculty, and breast cancer survivors from the Worcester area,” describes Horl. “In these moments I see the true nature of the Holy Cross community come alive.”

All proceeds benefit Pink Revolution, which is a Worcester-based charity committed to creating change in the lives of those touched by breast cancer. Pink Revolution works closely with the breast center oncologists  at UMass Medical Center and the researchers at UMass Medical School in Worcester, to raise funds for research, state-of-the-art equipment and patient care.

Last year’s Benching for a Breast Cancer raised more than $2,000 and Horl hopes to increase this number by getting more students and faculty involved.

“Because this is the second year that Benching is open to the entire student body, we are hoping that more students will come up and bench on Dec. 9,” explains Horl. 

Pre-registration is encouraged to save time on the day of the event, while registration fees are submitted at the fundraiser (t-shirt included). 

For more information, visit the Benching for Breast Cancer Facebook page or email Madison Horl.