Funds Raised for Breast Cancer Fight

Poquoson Club Anchors District 23 Kiwanis' "Go for the Goal"

by Robert Elsass

Twelve years and nearly $130,000 dollars to fight breast cancer. That's a record the Kiwanis sponsors of the Annual Christine Garvey Memorial Soccer Tournament point to with pride and gratitude. The recently completed 2011 tourney added more than $11,000 to their total.

Thirty-two high school soccer teams from as far away as Isle of Wight and Gloucester competed in this pre season tourney March 16th through the 18th to raise funds for the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The Boys Varsity Championship was won in overtime by Grafton after a grueling match against Great Bridge. In the girl's championship, Tabb was able to overcome Jamestown. MVP awards went to Jalon Brown of Grafton and Kelsey Hecker of Tabb. Winners of the Christine Garvey Varsity Fighting Spirit Award were Marcus Lester of Great Bridge and Meridith Napolean of Jamestown.

The big winner, though, is the fight against breast cancer. Christine Garvey, the tournament's name-sake, was a Poquoson 'Soccer Mom" who lost a courageous battle with breast cancer in December 1999. Her fight, and her love and concern for her family through that fight, inspired those who knew her to want to continue to do more against this disease.

Originally begun as a local event in 2000 by Pat Garvey to honor the memory of his wife, the tournament was adopted as a community service project by the Kiwanis Club of Poquoson, and quickly grew into an event supported by 10 Kiwanis Clubs on the Virginia Peninsula. Collectively known as Kiwanis Capital District Division 23, the members of these clubs have organized and supported the annual tournaments through manpower and funding. Other fund sources include team donations (there are no team registration fees), ticket and concession sales.

According to Brian Wilson of Poquoson Kiwanis and past Division 23 Lieutenant Governor, the benefit to the teams is that they can pit themselves against each other very early in the season, and they play against some teams they don't normally compete against. Wilson added, "PLUS, as one coach told me 'My sister died of breast cancer and I want to do everything I can in her memory.' The referees also donate their services for similar reasons."

With 32 teams participating, 16 varsity and junior varsity boys and girls teams from throughout the area, the "Go for the Goal" tournament is a highlight for Peninsula-area soccer fans.

To read Christine's story and to see more details about the twelfth installment of the Annual Christine Garvey "Go for the Goal" Memorial Soccer Tournament, visit http://goforthegoal.homestead.com .

Pictured: the Boys Varsity Champion Grafton Soccer team with Christine Garvey's daughters, Maura Dahlquist, left center, and Kate Goddin, right center, following their overtime win in the Twelfth Annual Christine Garvey Memorial Soccer Tournament on the Virginia Peninsula in late March.