A family’s compassion might lead to some closet expansion.
Okotokians Tim and Susan DeWaal purchased what was more than their 20th Dawgs pink jersey at an annual fundraiser at Seaman Stadium on Sunday.
“It just doesn’t matter — we just buy every year,” said Sue DeWaal, who was sporting a pink Daniel Fredrickson jersey at Wear Pink to the Park Day. “My sister had breast cancer, she now has cancer. My brother has cancer. Cancer is everywhere.”
Susan herself is a cancer survivor.
This year’s Wear Pink to the Park Day raised $25,495 — $25,000 of which came from the live auction of players’ jersey. Proceeds go to the Canadian Cancer Society.
This was the 10th Wear Pink to the Park Day, which has raised approximately $325,000 over that time. The DeWaals have averaged more than two jerseys a year.
“Some years, we bought up to four and one year we bought just one, depending on how much money we spend on one jersey,” Tim said.
The DeWaals purchased Okotoks bench boss David Robb’s jersey for $300 early in the proceedings on Sunday. Robb is much like the DeWaals’ themselves — always there, putting in a workingman-like effort, but not getting the deserved fanfare.
“I just like him,” Tim said. “He is one of our favourites.”
The DeWaals spent more than $3,000 for Jeremy Shelby’s jersey in 2009.
“We did that because our daughter’s name is Shelby,” Susan said with a laugh.
Shelby was a cancer survivor when he covered more ground in centre field than Brian Jean and Jason Kenney covering Alberta on the campaign trail.
With more than 20 jerseys, they tend to take up space. The DeWaals culled some of their jerseys early — giving them to Dawgs’ moms and dads.
“One year we had three jerseys and we gave them back to their moms,” Tim said.
Still they have plenty of jerseys taking up closet space — and Sue has a solution.
“I think next year, I am going to make a quilt out of them and auction them off,” she said.
Leslie Lloyd found out the cost of having a son goes up.
She paid a whopping $2,300 for her son Matt’s jersey — she paid $400 two years ago for Matt’s jersey when the 21-year-old Okotokian was just an up-and-comer.
Leslie got in a bidding war with Carl Hollick, father of Dawgs’ legendary Tim Raines-type hitter Tyler.
“I didn’t plan to spend that much money, but it is for a good cause,” Leslie said. “You get kind of caught up in the moment. It’s awesome – a neat thing. It is great to know that all of the money is going to the cancer organization.”
Of course Matt’s value skyrocketed as this season he led the WMBL in average at a Ted Williams-like .402, which included a 24-game hitting streak.
Hollick — the greatest 50/50 salesman in Dawgs history — has paid his dues. He paid more than $3,500 when Tyler’s jersey was on the auction block a few years ago.
As well, he pitched in an extra $400 for Kory Funderburk’s jersey to up the live auction total to $25,000 on Sunday.
(Funderburk, hit two home runs in the game. Before hitting his second dinger, he quipped to Dawgs VP of promotions William Gardner, maybe he can jack up his jersey’s value with a homer).
Leslie Lloyd was also able to purchase Zach Hanna’s jersey for $300. Hanna is a billet at the Lloyds’ Okotoks home.
The top price for a jersey was John Hawk’s for $3,100.
