The Park High School girls’ basketball program recently completed their 11th Annual Coaches vs. Cancer campaign, raising a total of $7,000 this season.

Park athletes participated in a free-throwa- thon and collected donations based on free throws made or a flat fee donation. In addition to these efforts, during lunches last week and prior to the girls’ basketball game against Eastview, players sold “I Stand Up For” cards in support of those affected by cancer. In addition, this year, the Wolfpack partnered with district rival Woodbury High School in raising money for this cause.

Through the players’ efforts over the years, Park girls’ basketball has raised more than $40,000 to help financially support numerous families with ties to the basketball program or the Park High School community during their respective cancer journeys as well as making donations to the American Cancer Society and the Breast Cancer Coalition.

Through strictly online donations, Woodbury High School was able to raise $970. This year, through the generosity of many donors, Park Girls Basketball was able to raise $5,672.33. The Park Girls Basketball Boosters donated an additional $357.67 to make the total $7,000.

Donations will be made to families with ties to the Park High community. The recipients are as follows:

• Andrea Absey. A fourth-grade teacher at Middleton Elementary, Absey was diagnosed in February 2019 with stage 4 colin cancer that had metastasized into her liver. She has undergone numerous rounds of chemotherapy, multiple surgeries and procedures as well as targeted therapy for additional cancer cells that have reappeared.

• Kent Getzlaf. Previously a teacher and coach at Park High School, he currently teaches social studies and coaches boys’ basketball at Woodbury High School. In February of 2022, Getzlaf had a malignant tumor removed from his head. Since the cancer had begun to spread, doctors began a treatment plan of 18 treatments over the course of a year and he is due to finish treatment March 28.

• Keith Nasby – Keith’s daughter Mariah is a member of Park’s freshman team. Nasby was diagnosed in April of 2022 with stage 2 rectal cancer. After learning it had metastasized into his liver and lungs upgrading his to Stage 4. After chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, the cancer has been removed from his rectum and liver and now doctors have begun working on the lesions on his lungs.

In addition to the support for these families, donations were made to the American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer campaign to the Minnesota Breast Cancer Coalition in the name of Kirstin Czarnota, mother of Park freshman team member Olivia Czarnota and a breast cancer survivor.

Players were recognized for their fundraising efforts from each program.

Woodbury Girls Basketball: Payton Getzlaff – $160, Sarah Vaske – $150 and Emma Brown – $120.

Park Girls Basketball: Lauren Strom $590, Tori Henderson – $545, Emma Ambroz – $390, Kenna German – $378, Abby Slettedahl – $372 Park Girls Basketball Booster club recognized our top shooters from this year’s Free-Throw-A-Thon: Sydnee Nelson – 92 free throws, Morgan Leick – 90, Edie Walton – 89, Tenley Nelson – 88, Abby Slettedahl, 87, Emma Ambroz, 86, Finley Leick – 84.