Pink powers Yellowjackets in convincing home win

WINSTED — Gilbert-Northwestern football’s home game Oct. 3 against the Ellington-Somers Purple Knights doubled as a charitable fundraiser. The team played a “Pink Gameâ€�  in support of the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

And it may just have been the power of pink that fueled the Yellowjackets, who sought to avenge last year’s 12-6 season-ended overtime loss to the Knights. Vengeance was sweet as Gilbert dispatched the Knights 33-18.

Denise Jones, a member of the GN Football’s Parent Spirit Club, got the idea for the event when she saw the NFL hold Pink Games during last season.

A breast cancer survivor herself, Jones chaired the efforts to get the football team and cheerleaders involved in raising money for the foundation.

“We encouraged everyone to wear pink to the game in support of the fundraiser,� she said. “Half of all the ticket revenue, half of the 50/50 raffle proceeds and all of the proceeds made from the sale of the specially made pink GN football T-shirts are all going to be donated to the Susan B. Komen Foundation.�

Jones reached out to the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to tell them about the fundraiser and said representatives were excited about the event.

“They sent me a huge box of goodies of keychains, pamphlets, information, logo tattoos and other fun stuff to hand out at the game,� she said. “That got me really psyched that they were so excited for our efforts.�

The Yellowjackets improved their record to 3-0 for the season. Gilbert-Northwestern will host the Stafford-East Windsor Bulldogs (0-3) on Friday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. under the lights, followed by an Oct. 16 road game against Enfield.