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Coaches make the cut for charity |
| By
Deanna Woolf |
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Jun 8, 2005 |
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| Kevin Hadsell recently mowed a lawn in Ottawa Hills. |
Kevin Hadsell and Briana Shook are mowing greens for some green this summer.
The coach and interim assistant coach of the UT women’s track team are doing a charity fund-raiser called “Lawns for Leukemia.” They will mow lawns within a 20-mile radius of the University, donating the proceeds to the Leukemia Society.
The idea for the fund-raiser came from Hadsell, who wanted to do something for the 10th anniversary of his niece’s death from the disease. After being diagnosed in fall 1994, she died in March 1995. “Throughout all of those months, the Leukemia Society and the Make-A-Wish Foundation were wonderful with the support they gave,” he said. “I felt like it was a great cause and wanted to give something back.”
An assistant coach at Coastal Carolina University at the time, Hadsell decided to do a 1,200-mile bicycle ride to raise money that summer. “It was very therapeutic — I learned a lot about myself and raised awareness about the disease,” he said. Hadsell explained many tourists visiting nearby Myrtle Beach heard about his story and wrote him letters in the following weeks. “There was one elderly women whose daughter died from cancer 20 years ago. She didn’t have a lot, but she sent $5,” he recalled.
Hadsell originally planned to memorialize his niece’s death by growing out his hair for Locks of Love, an organization that makes hairpieces for children with long-term medical hair loss. “But I think it reached its termination point — it stopped growing and is not long enough [to donate],” he said with a laugh.
He decided to mow lawns instead, and Shook, the American record holder in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, heard about it and wanted to help. “She’s my best friend,” Hadsell said.
With the track season over, both of them have sufficient free time to mow until August. Prices for their grass cutting are $5 to $10 for a small yard, $11 to $15 for a medium one and $16 to $20 for a large lawn. Hadsell said they judge the size based on the amount of time it will take to mow.
If you are interested in having your grass cut for “Lawns for Leukemia,” contact them at lawncharity@yahoo.com or call Hadsell at 419.262.5077.
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