Thursday's high school softball game won't be just an ordinary game.
Instead, the Pea Ridge High School Lady Blackhawks softball team plans to honor local cancer survivors and bring hope and help to their neighbors.
The Lady Blackhawks invite the community to come out in numbers on Thursday to honor three cancer survivors and offer support for a family who is currently battling cancer.
The team's first-ever "Pink Out" game will begin at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 9, on the softball field, 781 W. Pickens Road.
The team will honor Debbie Klotz, LaRay Thetford and Dawnitta Henson, three Pea Ridge School faculty members who have battled cancer.
Thetford and Henson will be on hand to throw the first pitch, said coach Josh Reynolds.
The game against Green Forest will give Pea Ridge residents -- and anyone who would like to attend -- a chance to help out, Reynolds said.
"We will take donations at the gate and we're also going to pass the hat for a local family who is battling cancer," he said.
The Pink Out game, the first of its kind for the team, has been an idea that had been simmering for a while.
"We wanted to do a Pink Out game, and we were looking for a family to sponsor," Reynolds said.
Last fall, the team became more familiar with the stories of Klotz, Thetford and Henson, when they signed the pink fire truck.
Reynolds, assistant coach Nathan Claytor and the team members wanted to honor those "strong women," who have privately battled cancer.
Not long ago, Reynolds also learned of a family battling cancer. The family is keeping their situation private and Reynolds respects that it's a challenging time for them. Neighbors can help by donating and showing their support, he said.
Players and parents are excited to use the softball game as a way of building community.
The coaches recently held a player and parent meeting, explaining what the Pink Out game was going to entail, who they were honoring and assisting, and why they wanted to help. The idea was met with great enthusiasm.
"They welcomed it with open arms. They are eager to help in any way," Reynolds said.
The head coach from Green Forest is also on board with the plan. When the Pea Ridge team travels there to play them on their own turf, a similar collection will go to benefit the same local family, he said.
The Pink Out game on Thursday will be the sixth game in the regular season. The Lady Blackhawks kicked off their first game March 2 against Berryville.
The Lady Blackhawks, which officially began practicing after Christmas break, has a full schedule of games in coming weeks.
Reynolds said some of the softball players also participate in girls' basketball. That team just competed at regionals and then joined up with the rest of the softball team. Before the softball season officially started, the girls were able to practice with the rest of the team for three sessions.
Bringing people together for a common cause is definitely a coach's mission. For Reynolds, this mission is close to his heart.
"(As a coach), you always hope to give something back. If you go into this career for the wrong reasons, selfish reasons, you're not going to get the rewards out of it that you should," Reynolds said.
He's eager to shine the spotlight on the courage the three women have shown -- and offer up hope for the family battling cancer. Utilizing a ballgame to boost others is what Pea Ridge is all about.
"The community of Pea Ridge is a very caring community," Reynolds said. "We're really looking at it as a chance to take care of our own."
The girls will be dressed out in pink T-shirts, rather than the usual softball uniform. Anyone who attends is also encouraged to wear pink.
Community on 03/08/2017