LAHS Softball Hosts Inaugural Play for the Cure Fundraiser April 11

LAHS assistant softball coach Cameron Dreher organized the program's inaugural Play for the Cure game, setting it for April 11 at Hope Field in White Rock with all proceeds channeled directly to the American Cancer Society.

Opening ceremonies start at 9:45 a.m. at Overlook Park, with first pitch at 10:00 a.m. LAHS will face Española Valley High School in a matchup built around dual cancer symbolism: the Hilltoppers take the field in blue for colon cancer awareness, while Española Valley wears gray for brain cancer, making a single home game the fundraising vehicle for two distinct causes under one national charity umbrella.

Dreher, who authored the public announcement, was direct about the stakes. "We are excited to bring two communities together through softball to honor survivors, remember the loved ones we lost, and raise funds for cancer research," Dreher wrote. "Together, we can STRIKE OUT CANCER!"

All donations flow to the American Cancer Society through a dedicated fundraising page on the DonorDrive platform set up specifically for Play for the Cure 2026. The organizers did not announce a specific dollar target. No portion is earmarked for a Northern New Mexico fund; contributions enter the national ACS mission, which the organization reports covers cancer research, patient services, and advocacy programs across all 50 states. Charity Navigator scores the ACS at 99 out of 100.

Supporters who cannot attend in person can give through the event's online giving page. Hope Field at Overlook Park in White Rock sits roughly equidistant between Los Alamos and the Española Valley, a geographic detail that makes the two-school pairing a natural fit for an event asking both communities to show up for the same cause.