Sports
Local Gymnast "Gets Pink" For Breast Cancer
New England Gymnastics Express's team raised more than any other group at the the Pink Invitational gymnastics meet fundraiser for Unite for Her.
Local gymnast Olivia Stack, 13, who will be a Freshman at Waterford High School in the Fall, was a member of a group of 19 Level 7 and 8 gymnasts from New England Gymnastics Express in Glastonbury and Newington who competed at the Pink Invitational gymnastics meet in Philadelphia.
At the meet the girls (whose fundraising team was known as GET Pink!) were acknowledged as winners of the Above and Beyond challenge having raised a record breaking $11,141.50 for the Unite for HER charity, almost $3000 ahead of second placed team. The girls met 2008 Olympic All-around gold medalist, Nastia Luikin and were presented with a pink block mat for the gym signed by Nastia.
Unite for HER was founded by Pennsylvania gymnastics coach Sue Weldon five years ago with the aim to support and empower breast cancer patients and educate young women on the importance of healthy living and early breast cancer identification.
The Pink Invitational meet is an important fundraiser for the charity. With over 2,600 gymnasts representing 87 teams from 13 States, the Pink Invitational has grown in a short period of time to become one of the biggest gymnastics meets in the USA.
As part of the girls win, Sue Weldon will be in Connecticut on July 18 to present a check for $3,000 to support breast cancer programs at St Francis Hospital in West Hartford. The girls chose St. Francis in honor of one of the Gymnastics Express owners, Laurie Scanlon.
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Congratulations to all the GET Pink! gymnasts from Gymnastics Express for their incredible effort and a job well done!
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