Western Nebraska Community College holds this year's PAWzitively PINK™ breast cancer awareness event during the volleyball match between No. 2 WNCC and Northeastern Junior College, Wednesday, October 26 at 7 p.m. in Cougar Palace. The Region IX South contest will decide the No. 1 seed for the Region IX South tournament in LaJunta, Colorado.

                Breast cancer survivors will be admitted free to the match and anyone wearing pink will receive $1 off admission.

                Nebraska Lt. Governor Mike Foley will also be in attendance at the match. There will also be pink hairspray available for youngsters, and a serving contest between the second and third games.

                There will be some T-shirts available for purchase with all proceeds donated to the Festival of Hope, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help cancer patients who live in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming with non-medical expenses as they relate to their cancer-care and treatment. This year's T-shirt sponsors are Runza, WNCC, and Scottsbluff Screenprinting/The Zone.

                WNCC Mathematics Instructor Amy Winters helped found the annual event when she received a diagnosis for Stage 3 breast cancer in 2005. "Reminding people to get the mammograms and do monthly self-breast exams is important," says Winters. "The Festival of Hope is a great organization. I received some assistance from The Festival of Hope when I was going through my treatments and I also received a lot of community support, so I like to give back."