Having kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a softball game to benefit the family of a local woman battling the disease, the police and fire departments in Athol and Orange are continuing their efforts by selling breast cancer awareness patches.
The patches — pink versions of the police uniform patches — are available for $10 by calling or visiting the Orange Police Station, Orange Fire Station or Athol Police Station. While there is no particular fundraising goal, the Orange Police Department’s proceeds will go to the Mahar Cancer Walk, which raises money for $100 gas cards from Cumberland Farms to assist people with the cost of travel and small grocery items.
Additionally, Orange Police Officer Evangeline Cakounes and Administrative Assistant Samantha Cass organized some festivities and a softball game at Butterfield Park earlier this month. The Battle of the Badges pitted the two towns’ public safety employees against each other and drew roughly 100 spectators following four or five months of preparation. Pink patches were sold at the game as well.
“I think it went really well,” Cakounes said. “The officers all had a great time, and the firefighters.”
Cakounes noted this cause is personal to one of her fellow officers, whose wife is a breast cancer survivor.
Orange resident Andria King Trombley, who was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago, and her family received a $4,000 donation and $125 in gas gift cards at the softball game.
“I thought it was pretty amazing what they did and that they were trying to bring awareness to the community and trying to help somebody at the same time,” she said. “And it was fun.”
King Trombley said many people unaffected by cancer can’t understand what it is like for families going through the battle, and the Battle of the Badges softball game helped bridge this gap.
“It was just overwhelming, humbling and I can’t even explain how much I appreciated that,” she said.
King Trombley, 40, said the money will help pay for her trips to radiation treatment in Fitchburg, where she goes every day Monday through Friday. She also has to travel to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston every three weeks. She was so touched by the community’s efforts that she plans to volunteer at next year’s Battle of the Badges, which Cakounes said will benefit a different family.
Cakounes said the game went into extra innings, with Orange firefighter John Smith batting in Officer Chad Softic for an 8-7 win. Two Jumptown skydivers parachuted onto the field with the game ball, and Trombley and her family threw out the first pitch.
Cakounes also said there was a dunk tank and doughnut-eating contest, and a video was posted to the Orange Fire Department’s Facebook page of children helping to extinguish small, controlled appliance fires.
“It was great. It was a great turnout and it was a lot of fun,” Orange Police Chief James Sullivan said of the softball game. “There are a bunch of people who are super excited about it next year.”
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.