DURANT, OKLA. — The final weeks of the season were a success on and off the court for the Southeastern Volleyball team. Not only did the squad clinch a spot in the Great American Conference championship tournament for the second consecutive year, they teamed up to raise money for Red River Area 13 Special Olympics volleyball after a month-long campaign for Medical Center of Southeast Oklahoma’s Breast Cancer Awareness.

Each of these projects by Southeastern Volleyball are a part of SE Athletics initiative to show unity in the community. Every athletic program has chosen a community engagement project to complete this year.

Southeastern Volleyball’s efforts with Special Olympics and Get Pink’d are great examples of the CommUNITY efforts that extend department-wide,” said Athletic Director Keith Baxter.

“I know the student-athletes have enjoyed the opportunity to give instruction and provide encouragement over the last several years to Team Red River Area 13 volleyball,” continued Baxter. “And Get Pink’d not only helped raise awareness and funds in the fight against a disease that has a devastating impact on women nationwide, it allowed us to team up locally with one of our great corporate partners, MCSO, to hopefully have an impact right here in Texoma.”

At the end of August, SE student-athletes kicked off a renewed spirit of volunteerism at Southeastern with an afternoon of service. Over 200 student-athletes, coaches and staff completed 30 campus and community projects - ranging from weeding and mulching to washing windows and helping locals with their groceries - all as a part of the first CommUNITY Engagement kickoff. By design, it was the student-athlete’s first official athletic event of the 2012-13 academic year.

Red River Area 13 Special Olympics

The Red River Area 13 Special Olympics Volleyball team was honored during the mid-match break at Southeastern’s home volleyball finale on November 8, 2012. Red River has qualified for the 2013 USA Volleyball Adult Championships in Louisville, KY.

Made up of athletes and unified partners, The Red River team competes at the Oklahoma State games each year.

The squad is no stranger to success. In 2010, the team qualified for the Special Olympics National Games in Lincoln, NE. Then in 2011 they competed at the USA Volleyball Adult Championships in Dallas, TX.

To raise money for their upcoming return to the national championship tournament, Red River Area 13 Special Olympics is holding a BBQ Lunch fundraiser. For a $5 donation, donors will receive a pulled pork BBQ sandwich with potato chips and dessert.

The lunch fundraiser is from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. this Tuesday, November 13, 2012.

Originally scheduled to be held at the Bryan County Community Building, the event has been moved to the Durant Elks Lodge due to the start of construction and closing of south 9th Street in Durant. The Durant Elks Lodge is located just off Highway 70 on Gates Avenue - just west of Durant WalMart.

Tickets for the BBQ Lunch are on sale at Good Deal Thrift Store at 401 N. 1st Streen in Durant or in person at the Durant Elks Lodge. BBQ Lunch delivery is available for orders of four or more. Call 916-2394 or 916-1729 to place your order.

The event is sponsored by Red River Area 13 Special Olympics and Masonic Lodge No. 45 with special thanks going to the Durant Elks Lodge for use of the facility and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans for partially matching funds. All proceeds benefit Red River Area 13 Special Olympic athletes.

Get Pink’d

Each October, the Dig Pink™ organization brings together 50,000 volleyball players and coaches across the country, combining sport and philanthropy to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness. Southeastern’s volleyball squad and coaching staff encouraged Southeastern to Get Pink’d all month long.

The squad held an on-campus drive called Get Pink’d in which individuals could donate money to have a door decked out in pink decoration. All proceeds went toward’s MCSO’s Fighting Back Breast Cancer Awareness Walk/Run. The team raised over $700 and joined Southeastern President, Dr. Larry Minks, AD Keith Baxter and Coach King, in presenting a check before their ECU rivalry match (pictured above).

“I would like to say thank you to Southeastern volleyball for all yoru efforts and the great idea you had to help promote Breast Cancer Awareness month with Get Pink’d,” said Michelle Miller, MCSO Director of Radiology and leader of the anual Fighting Back Breast Cancer Awareness Walk/Run. “Thank you for helping us collect money for our annual event, we appreciate it very much.”

MCSO was represented at the ceremony by Carla Hull, a breast cancer survivor, MCSO nurse and United Way Relay for Life team captain.

“Early detection saved my life,” said Hull. “Tell someone you love to get screened.”

The team raised awareness for breast cancer at home matches all month long by wearing pink and with a series of public service announcements: Breast Cancer is the most common invasive cancer among women in the United States. It accounts for nearly one third of all cancer diagnoses. Nearly 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime Every 13 minutes a woman loses their fight against the disease.

Becxause the first sign of breast cancer usually shows up on a mammogram before it can be felt or any other symptoms are present, early detection offers the best chance of survival.

Encourage your family and friends to get screened - making a difference for someone you love may come from the awareness you create. On the court, Southeastern volleyball qualified as the No. 8 seed in the GAC tournament beginning Thursday in Searcy, Ark. The Storm will open the tournament against top-seeded host Harding University at 5 pm.

Fans can listen and watch every match of the 2012 Conference Volleyball Tournament through the Great American Conference website www.GreatAmericanConference.com.