October is breast cancer awareness month. To raise awareness, the Oakland Outlaws Ultimate Frisbee team is hosting its second annual breast cancer fundraiser game.

The team is raising money throughout the month of October by selling Outlaws Against Cancer t-shirts for $15. The fundraiser will last until Oct. 24, and all profits will go to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

As a Division I travel team, the Oakland Outlaws Ultimate Frisbee team participates in Ultimate Tournaments all over the Midwest.

Ideas for the breast cancer awareness game started out last year by President Jacob Lekki. Lekki said that his grandmothers were the inspiration for his ideas.

“Breast cancer is a very important issue to many members of our team and me personally because three of my grandmothers have had breast cancer and have made it to remission,” Lekki said. “One was diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer and has been fighting for a few years now.”

Through this fundraiser, the team hosted a pink-out game against Kettering University and raised $2,110 for breast cancer research last year.

Oct. 24 is one of the most important days for Lekki and his teammates. It is the deadline for their fundraiser, and the team will be playing a scrimmage that day and recording the scrimmage for its fans, friends and family to watch and enjoy. 

They will be wearing their team jerseys with splashes of pink for breast cancer for the recording, according to Lekki.

Though COVID-19 resulted in a different way of conducting the fundraiser game, it did not stop the team from spreading awareness for breast cancer. Lekki and his teammates are looking to raise over $1,000 for breast cancer research, like they did last year.

“What I look forward to the most is getting to play with my team, to grow and learn … to play alongside them is something I love,” Lekki said. “I am proud of all the funds we have raised for the American Cancer Society last year and this year.”

Clarence Round, the advisor for the club, said he is proud of the team for using the spirit of Ultimate Frisbee competition to support important causes.

“I’m looking to see how far the team has grown,” Round said. “To put on a good showing for friends and family that come out to support the game and cause.”

According to Round, he has been making social media posts and posting on several Ultimate Frisbee pages in Michigan in order to spread the word. He hopes to gain as many spectators as possible for gameday and to receive donations and support from them.

“I would like to ask the OU community to help us out and to please donate online or buy a shirt and check out our social media,” Lekki said.

People can participate in the fundraiser by emailing Jacob Lekki at [email protected] or visit their GoFundMe fundraiser which is directly tied to the ACS.

To order an Outlaws Against Cancer team t-shirt, contact any Outlaw members or Club President Jacob Lekki via phone number: (630)-360-0945 or email: [email protected].