Striking out an opposing team’s batter carried extra meaning this season for the baseball team at St. Paul’s School in Covington, La. Not only was a batter retired without putting the ball in play, but a donation was made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for every strikeout recorded by the Wolves’ pitching staff.
The Wolves’ Strikeouts for St. Jude fundraiser completed its second year in April, having collected more than $5,800 for St. Jude. The team raised $1,895 last year.
Seniors Landon Waite, Rutger Fury and Blake LoCicero started Strikeouts in their junior year, after seeing the success of a similar fundraiser created by classmate Beau Briggs during his senior golf season. The team tailored the idea to their sport and sought pledges for each strikeout from family, friends and local businesses throughout the Covington community.
This fundraiser that we’ve done benefits St. Jude, but it has also benefited us in life lessons just as much.
Rutger Fury, Wolves' Strikeouts co-creator
“We had a few friends who had been diagnosed with cancer over the years,” Waite said. “And we knew how good of an institution St. Jude was, so we decided to combine our two passions of baseball and helping out the community.”
The trio was motivated in part because families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
Each will attend college in the fall, where they plan to continue fundraising for St. Jude. They have recruited juniors William Heurtin and Andy Grashoff to continue Wolves’ Strikeouts for St. Jude next season, with hopes that it will become a tradition at St. Paul’s School.
“This fundraiser that we’ve done benefits St. Jude, but it has also benefited us in life lessons just as much,” Fury said.
“The whole reason we started this is we wanted to make a difference and do something bigger than ourselves,” LoCicero said. “I think that is what struck a chord for us to pick St. Jude as our beneficiary.”
You, too, can help give hope to kids who are fighting life-threatening illnesses.
Read more inspiring stories
-
Out of this world: Physician assistant takes her St. Jude perspective to space
Physician assistant Hayley Arceneaux is a childhood cancer survivor at the hospital that saved her life. Now she’s on her way to space. Read her story.
-
Doctors’ Day: St. Jude physicians share common goals
Read how St. Jude physicians are able to provide the best care for their patients.
-
“The Chief” Allan Granoff, PhD, a pioneer of translational pediatric research at St. Jude
St. Jude remembers Allan Granoff, a founding father of the pediatric research hospital.
-
Journey to the Jude: Heather Brandt, PhD, works to steer HPV vaccination rates in right direction
Heather Brandt, PhD, joined the hospital last summer to lead the hospital’s new HPV Cancer Prevention Program. Learn how her career’s work will help guide this important initiative.
-
St. Jude honors physicians who were key to hospital’s pandemic response
For the first time in St. Jude history, there are two recipients of the annual Amos Jacobs Award—the highest honor given to hospital employees. Read more about their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
-
Happy Paw-li-days: Elvis the Elf helps Puggle and Huckleberry celebrate the season
Elvis the Elf keeps a watchful eye on the holiday adventures of hospital dogs Puggle and Huckleberry.
-
A sequence of festive events: ‘Gene Gnome’ delivers holiday hijinks to St. Jude
See how Gene Gnome is bringing some holiday fun to the research community at St. Jude.
-
St. Jude employees have many reasons to say thanks
In a challenging year, read why St. Jude employees are thankful this holiday season.
-
St. Jude resource group supports efforts of veterans, active duty personnel and families
Veterans are an important part of the workforce at St. Jude. Learn how the hospital’s Military Support Resource Group helps employee veterans and active duty personnel.
-
Molecular oncologist Martine F. Roussel, Ph.D., featured in new portrait unveiled at St. Jude
Martine Roussel, Ph.D., is first female researcher at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to receive a commissioned portrait. Read more about her accomplishments.
-
Adoption advocate: Employee shares how St. Jude benefit helped grow her family
Racquel Collins always knew she wanted to adopt. Learn how a hospital benefit eased the process of welcoming her son, Wes, to her family.
-
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
To mark National Hispanic Heritage Month, St. Jude spotlights the stories of some of our talented Hispanic doctors and scientists.
-
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
To mark 2016 National Hispanic Heritage Month, St. Jude spotlights the stories of some of our talented Hispanic doctors and scientists.
-
Preparing for a Pandemic
The staff at St. Jude go above and beyond to ensure patient and employee safety throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Read how St. Jude employees collaborate and innovate during this time.
-
Working like a dog: St. Jude Paws at Play celebrates six months of canine care
Brittany Reed and Shandra Taylor share their thoughts on how Puggle and Huckleberry have made an impact on the hospital and their lives. Read their reflections.