University Park, Pa. — Additional contributions to the Ninth Annual Penn State Uplifting Athletes "Lift For Life" has boosted the 2011 total to a record total in excess of $100,000 raised to benefit the Kidney Cancer Association.
The "Lift For Life" was held on July 8 in Holuba Hall and the initial total raised by the strength and conditioning event was $94,410.09. Additional contributions have raised the total to $100,930 raised for kidney cancer research and patients by Penn State Football student-athletes. The previous mark was just over $98,000 in 2010.
More than $600,000 has been raised in the battle against rare diseases by Penn State Uplifting Athletes since the inaugural "Lift For Life" was held in 2003.
Fans can still make a "Lift For Life" donation by visiting the Penn State Uplifting Athletes donation page at: http://liftforlife.upliftingathletes.org/lfl2/
The "Lift For Life" is an 11-event strength and conditioning competition, with 18 teams comprised of four Penn State Football student-athletes competing. The event was organized by members of the Nittany Lion Football team, with 15-20 squad members taking an active role in preparations for Friday's event in Holuba Hall. Uplifting Athletes chapter officers provided the leadership, led by Mike Farrell (Pittsburgh), Eric Shrive (Scranton), Mike Yancich (Washington) and Ty Howle (Wake Forest, N.C.).
Shrive, a redshirt sophomore tackle, led the squad by securing more than $25,000 in "Lift for Life" donations. Farrell, a redshirt junior tackle, was second with donations totaling $10,880.
Uplifting Athletes has grown to nine chapters, with Boston College, Colgate, Kent State, Maryland, North Carolina State, Northwestern, Ohio State and Princeton joining Penn State in the fight against rare diseases. Boston College, Maryland and Northwestern also are conducting Lift for Life events this month.
For more information about Penn State Football Uplifting Athletes SM or the Penn State Football Lift for Life, or to make a tax-deductible contribution, please visit www.UpLiftingAthletes.org or contact Deloris Brobeck at 814-865-1946 during business hours. Uplifting Athletes, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that operates as a national charter and serves as a uniting force to help change the perception of rare diseases.
About Uplifting Athletes: Uplifting Athletes is a full service national nonprofit organization aligning college football with rare diseases and raising them as a national priority through research, outreach, education and advocacy. What makes Uplifting Athletes unique is that our university chapters are run by current football student-athletes, providing them with an opportunity to gain management and leadership skills while learning how to leverage their assets and abilities to make a positive and lasting impact. Each chapter adopts one out of approximately 7,000 rare diseases (including ALS, Aplastic Anemia, CMT, cystic fibrosis, Ehlers-Danlos, Ewing's Sarcoma, Kidney Cancer, Leukemia, MS, Neimann Pick Type-C, Neuroblastoma, pancreatic cancer, etc.).