Colors for Warsaw Community High School are usually orange and black, but at Friday night’s football game, there was more pink than anything else.
The high school’s cheer block hosted their second annual Pink Out Night to raise awareness of and stand for those affected by cancer.
Ruth Heckaman, president of the Cheer Block Leadership Team, explained, “Pink Out is so important because of just the message it spreads about breast cancer awareness and to show our support across the whole community, bringing everyone together.”

    Madison Nunez and Ruth Heckaman display the Pink Out 2024 shirts after an interview about Pink Out Night at Warsaw Community High School. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

Madison Nunez, team member, said, “Pink Out is important to our community because I think it not only shows the survivors and the people that are struggling with it that it’s OK and the community is here for them. And we’re not only here for them, but we’re excited for them and their journey with breast cancer.”
At halftime of the football game against Mishawaka, the cheer block, school officials and community members who purchased a 2024 Pink Out shirt or ribbon took a “Walk the Block” around the track to celebrate cancer survivors, show support for anyone with a current diagnosis and remember those who have been affected by the disease. Even the Tiger football team got into supporting those battling cancer by wearing pink socks.

    The Warsaw Community High School football team wore pink socks in support of Pink Out Night Friday. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

In planning for Pink Out Night, Heckaman said they designed the shirts and got them approved. “We made posts about it and then we did the walk with the whole cheer block and we’ve just been getting everyone so excited for this event,” she said.
Nunez said Pink Out Night was “definitely one of the bigger games of the year. A lot of people come out to support. People love to dress up, they love to support the cancer awareness community. They love to just spread awareness, and I think a lot people get excited for this game. It’s the last home game ... it’s the one people want to come to.”
Both of the WCHS students have personal reasons why Pink Out Night is important to them.
“A decent amount of the women in my family have struggled with breast cancer and have all overcame it, but it’s important to our family to show our support somehow because of the women in our family who have gone through it,” Heckaman stated.
Nunez said, “To me it’s really important because one of my mom’s close friends actually dealt with breast cancer and she speaks about it a lot. She likes to raise a lot of awareness for it. So getting to know her story, this night means a lot to me personally.”
Dr. Rachael Hoffert explained what will happen to the funds raised through Pink Out.
The funds go into a Warsaw High School Cheer Block Cancer Care Fund. Later this year, as requests for funds come in, the Cheer Block leaders will make decisions on providing money to families who might need meals, gas cards or help with medical bills and a check will be issued.

    The Warsaw Community High School Cheer Block was a sea of pink Friday night at the football game as part of Pink Out Night. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

“They decide, based on what the need is, how they can walk alongside with those cheer block funds,” she said. “They really make those decisions as we start to get needs that come in.”
“I think that’s amazing,” Heckaman said. “Being able to help families at our school, in our community, being able to help, even though it’s just in little ways, it’s a big example of what our community is and what we can do.”
Kari Vilamaa, Tri Kappa and A&G Beauty are major supporters of Pink Out Night.
Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert said Vilamaa is a local Tiger supporter and his grandson plays on the football team. Vilamaa is also an architect who has worked with the school system numerous times over the last 20 years.
“He just heard what was going on with the Cancer Care Fund and he saw how students were actively involved and, again, his family was directly impacted by cancer and especially breast cancer,” David said.
Vilamaa reached out to Rachael a year ago after he heard what the cheer block was doing and wanted to find a way to help support them because he loved seeing the students involved and acting for a worthy cause.
In a statement, Vilamaa said, “Walk the Block for Cancer Awareness and the Cheer Block Cancer Fund are truly unique opportunities for me to help individuals in the Warsaw community with cancer-related needs. I particularly love the level of involvement of the students, including evaluating the requests for assistance.
“This effort will continue to gather momentum as more folks learn about it and learn about how much need is out there. I will continue to support these efforts and to help to grow its impact,” he said.
David said seeing the number of people taking a lap around the track gives you chills to see.

    Phil Reed, Warsaw Police Department school resource officer, shows his support for the fight against cancer with a pink badge, ribbon and T-shirt. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

“When the students are walking past, when the adults and community are walking past the visiting team bleachers, they’re all sitting there cheering for you because they see something special,” he said. “I know the team that we were playing last year reached out to me after the event and said that’s one of the coolest cheer block events that we’ve ever seen.”
Sometimes students don’t always get the credit they deserve, he stated, but students want to do good things and impact others.
“This is a learning way for them to figure out how to be able to give back to their local community, give back to those in need and just brighten days,” David said.
Last year, they impacted over 20 families inside the Warsaw community.
“So it was not only kids or teachers that were inside of the school. They find stories that are going on outside in the community and they’re like, ‘Hey, this is a way for us to just make a positive impact.’ So, not only are they learning these skills, but then they’re also able to see what that impact is out there and just work on the empathy part that goes with growing up,” David said.
Rachael added, “They give to families that are facing any type of cancer. So even though it’s breast cancer awareness night, as a breast cancer survivor, this night means so much to me. But it’s a way that our students can walk alongside people with cancer and just be able to give back and let them know that we support you. Even with these tangible little gas cards or meal cards. We support you, we love you and thank you for having the courage to face what you have to face.”