The Fairfield Trojan Booster Club presented a check for $5,038.73 to Jefferson County Relay for Life, representing proceeds from the annual Everybody vs. Cancer event held January 15th.
The fundraiser took place during basketball games between Jefferson County schools Fairfield and Pekin, with both Trojan boys’ and girls’ teams hosting the Panthers. The event raised money for cancer research, cancer patients, and their families through the American Cancer Society. Funds can be used locally when residents stay at the lodge for families of cancer patients at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.
The event employed several fundraising methods similar to previous years. One dollar from each gate ticket went toward the cause. Additional funds came from a dessert auction and a soup supper organized by the Student Council.
Guests could purchase rubber ducks to throw onto the court during halftime, with the person landing closest to center court winning a prize. A collection called the 54-second bucket passed through the crowd, representing the 54 Iowans diagnosed with cancer every day.
Corporate sponsors covered the cost of rally towels and T-shirts reading “Together We Fight” for all basketball players from both Fairfield and Pekin.
Shawn and Mandy McCarty made a significant contribution to the fundraiser. During the 54-second bucket collection that evening, Shawn texted Fairfield Activities Director Jeff Courtright to offer matching the bucket funds.
Courtright praised the Trojan Booster Club’s leadership and community-wide support for another successful event. He noted that cancer is a devastating disease affecting countless people, and nearly everyone knows someone who has experienced it personally or through a loved one. Supporting the search for a cure is an easy cause to back, he said.
Dawn Ridgeway Bechtel reported that the $5,038.73 from the Everybody vs. Cancer event contributes toward the committee’s 2026 goal of $40,000, surpassing last year’s $30,000 target.
The committee is organizing another bowling fundraiser for Fairfield at Flamingo Lanes on March 28th.
The committee’s signature event—a luminaria walk and survivor meal—is scheduled for September 26th at the Fairfield Golf & Country Club.
Photo provided by FCSD.
