Football for a cause: Contest between Franklin Hurricanes, Winnisquam Wolves raises $700 for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

FRANKLIN — The Franklin Middle School Hurricanes football team raised $700 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Wednesday night during a game against the Winnisquam Wolves.

About 150 people came to support the cause at the contest at Franklin High School.

Jodie Tsekrekas, development director for the Northern New England Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation based in Nashua attended the game.

“Your community is so welcoming. It's just so fun,” she said. “I haven't been to a football game in a lot of years, and it brings back a lot of memories. This has been fantastic.”

Spectators could contribute to an online fundraiser, as well as support in-person efforts including a raffle for a kayak, face painting and a bake sale.

Samantha Chaisson, whose stepson Coleman Chaisson plays for the Hurricanes, baked everything for sale except an apple crisp. Her treats included apple spice cupcakes with apple pie filling and cinnamon cream cheese, Funfetti cupcakes, chocolate cream cupcakes with chocolate frosting, and peanut butter, chocolate chip and M&M cookies. Chaisson said baking everything took all day on Tuesday, and it was more tiring than working a 12-hour shift as an ICU nurse, but it was worth it to support the cause.

“If we're going to raise money for cystic fibrosis and for a great cause, I'll do my hobby and make good stuff,” Chaisson said. “Everyone can have a treat and money is made. It's a win-win-win.”

As of Thursday morning, an estimated $700 was raised, which includes in-person and online totals. The fundraiser is still accepting contributions online at events.cff.org/roseup/Member/MyPage/7395601/Franklin-Middle-School, and the kayak raffle continues through next Wednesday.

Coaches on both teams wore shirts that read “Tackle Cystic Fibrosis.” Attendees wore black, and those with CF wore purple to distinguish themselves from the crowd. Cheerleaders wore specially colored hair ribbons and painted No. 2 on their cheeks to show support for Franklin's Dylan Shortt, who sports the No. 2 jersey, who has CF. Both teams also showed support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Cheerleaders had pink pom poms, and Wolves players had pink ribbons on the back of their helmets.

Kathy Ivon came to watch the game with her grandchildren. Charleigh Forge, 6, sported a painted rose on her face, representing CF and alluding to the fundraiser's name, Rose Up. The term stems from “65 roses,” a phrase which sounds similar to "cystic fibrosis," and is easier for children to remember.

Ivon said Charleigh’s father’s cousin Alice Dionne had CF. Dionne died at age of 20 in 2011, a year after graduating from Franklin High School. Ivon was excited to hear a CF fundraiser was happening in Dionne’s community.

“I'm glad they're doing this, especially having their team member, the quarterback, Dylan, having it and recognizing it,” Ivon said. “I'm glad they're making people aware of this, and kids can still play sports and stuff, even though you have something.”

At the end of the night, Winnisquam beat Franklin 31-8, with an appearance by Dylan on defense in the third quarter. While Assistant Coach Adam Heath said the loss is unfortunate, he was excited the work he put into the fundraiser came to fruition, and to see support from both teams for the cause.

“It was that both teams showed up to play — and they got the better of us — but to me, I mean, these two communities working together for this was more. Didn't matter the score at that point,” Heath said.

Tsekrekas praised Heath for his efforts.

“Adam has worked so hard pulling everything together and making sure that everybody's aware, and helping us spread awareness about CF,” she said. “And educating the school and the teams and actually bringing it back to the school so that more people are aware of the kiddos in the community, not who they are, but what they have.”

Tsekrekas said, to her knowledge, this is the first time a CF fundraiser has been held at a middle school football game. This is partly due to the foundation being starting completely virtual by those with CF, as they must stay 5 feet apart from each other due to health concerns. She said the foundation headquarters in Maryland has taken notice of Heath’s efforts and invited him to a nationwide live virtual celebration, where he will be interviewed about his dedication to the cause.

“I really wanted to make sure that he did get the recognition after all the hard work he's done with the foundation,” Tsekrekas said. “But they chose him after hearing his story, hearing everything he's done. They chose him to be part of this live with the whole country.”

After the game, coaches from both teams received plaques from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, to acknowledge their contributions to the cause.

Dylan’s parents came to the game to support their son and the fundraiser. Dylan’s mother Ashley said she was happy with the event and was pleased to hear Heath plans to make this the first of many.

“I hope this is the beginning of something that gets bigger and bigger every year. I think this is just the beginning,” she said. “This community is coming together to do something really great, and it can only go upwards.”