www.qmcsrice.com (QMCS Rice Home Page) E-Mail: commander@tristateveterans.com

Breast Cancer Awareness Night at the
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Baseball Game, July 21, 2006. 

In Memory of Rita Rice

A fundraiser for breast cancer research in memory of Rita Rice was held on July 21st, 2006 at the FM RedHawks baseball stadium, Newman Outdoor Field.  Dave Rice purchased the jerseys the RedHawks players and coaches wore, most were auctioned off by silent auction during the game and six were auctioned off by live bidding after the game.  Over $5,000 was generated by the jersey auction, an additional $1,000 was generated by the RedHawks sale of pink Breast Cancer Awareness t-shirts and cash donations.  $3,000 was donated to the American Cancer Society and an additional $3,000 was donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, both specifically ear-marked for breast cancer research.  The remaining $100 was donated to the Y-ME organization which provides information and coping strategies for victims of breast cancer. 

I am very appreciative to and would like to give a sincere thank you to the FM RedHawks organization for hosting this event, especially to Megan Salic, the FM RedHawks Director of Promotions.  Please send the RedHawks an e-mail thank you @ redhawks@fmredhawks.com, they coordinated every aspect of this very successful fundraiser.  With our support and acknowledgement they may hold another event like this next year.  The $6,100 we generated this year will go a long way in eliminating this terrible disease and saving lives in the future.

Dave Rice, Chad, Katie & Ole

During Pre-Game Announcement

 Breast Cancer Awareness
(Pre-game announcement read over the PA system.)

Tonight’s game has been sponsored in memory of Rita Rice. Rita fought a long and courageous battle with breast cancer, twice. In the first battle she was victorious, however, in the second she was not as fortunate. Rita passed away in December of 2005, at the young age of 53.

Rita was a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, and a friend to many. There is no way to calculate the number of lives that she touched during her short stay with us. She spent her professional life as a nurse, and devoted her entire life to taking care of her family and her patients.

Rita also opened up her home to a RedHawks player, and soon became known as “Mom Rice” to that player. Rita often stayed up late after a game to give him a few words of encouragement when things didn’t go quite they way they were supposed to on the field. Rita rarely missed a game, as she and her family have held season tickets for many years and have been coming out to see the RedHawks since their inaugural season.

To continue with her legacy, Rita’s family would like to continue helping people by sponsoring this breast cancer research fundraiser. The pink jerseys the Red Hawks are wearing tonight will be auctioned off by silent auction on the concourse. 100% of your donations and jersey bids will go directly to breast cancer research. One day we will eliminate this terrible disease and save the lives of our mothers, wives, daughters, and friends.

According to the American Cancer Society’s Surveillance Research in 2003, “Your chance of getting breast cancer by Age 30: is 1 in 251; by Age 40: 1 in 69; Age 50: 1 in 36; and by Age 60: a 1 in 26 chance of getting breast cancer.”

Please take a look around you. Imagine 4,350 women were packed in this stadium tonight. 621 of these women will have breast cancer at some point in their lives. That is section A, section B, section C, and half of section D. 1 in 7 women will have breast cancer sometime in their lives.

Rita Rice’s husband Dave, son Chad, daughter Katie, and son-in-law Ole ask that you help your wives, mothers, daughters, and friends by donating to this very worthy cause. Just as Rita cared for others, so can we.

(Announcement written by Dave, Katie & Chad.  Several announcements were also read during the game publicizing the jersey auction, the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and Breast Cancer Awareness information.)

Chad's First Pitch

Katie's First Pitch

Additional Pictures - click on pictures for a larger view.
Special thanks to Bob Jacobson (friend) and Sarah Garaas (RedHawks) for taking pictures.
 


RedHawks staff wore breast cancer awareness t-shirts.
 


The RedHawks won the game!
Proudly wearing the pink jerseys.
 


Two successful jersey bidders
after the game.
 


What a crew...
Waiting for the live auction to start.
 


Participants from the MPCG area.
The family support was great!
 


Where is Waldo?
More family, thanks for being there.
 


Joe Mathis
RedHawks star left fielder.
 


Three ladies in pink.
(I wonder if they are related...)
 


J18-2
Rita's season ticket seat location
.


Section J
(nice legs Dave!)
 


Thanks for taking pictures Bob!
(A good friend of the family.)
 


Retreat after Katie and Chad
threw out the first pitch.
 


Merrill Piepkorn (RedHawks PA
announcer) served as auctioneer.
 


Coach Simunic with his family. 
Simunic's jersey sold for $600.
 


What a stud!
Must have awesome looking parents.
 


Good game, good company,
great cause.
 

Please thank Megan (left) and Sarah (right) of the FM RedHawks for hosting this event.

Megan: msalic@fmredhawks.com
Sarah: sgaraas@fmredhawks.com


Maybe we should raise more funds for Breast Cancer Research next year.
Anyone want to help?

Medora, North Dakota has been our family's favorite vacation spot for many years. 
Every year we attended the musical and of course went horseback riding.
  This year was no exception.
We rode on August 5th, which is Rita's birthday, and wore our Rita Rice RedHawks jerseys. 
Rita was with us in spirit,
and always will be.

www.qmcsrice.com (QMCS Rice Home Page) E-Mail: commander@tristateveterans.com