Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Ferndale’s Hallie Short defends during a recent game with St. Bernard’s.

By Ray Hamill – The Ferndale Wildcats are doing their part to bring awareness to Alzheimer’s Disease and the Pat Summit Foundation, by hosting a “We Back Pat” game against the South Fork Cubs on Wednesday night.

All proceeds from a bake sale and 50/50 drawing will go to benefit the foundation, named after the legendary former Tennessee coach, who passed away from the disease in 2016.

All week long, “We Back Pat” games are being held throughout the SEC and at participating high schools around the country.

The Pat Summit Foundation was created to help with research and awareness for the disease. 

Summitt retired in 2012 at 59 after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.

At the time she was the winningest head coach in college basketball history with 1,098 victories, after serving as head coach of the Vols since 1974 and winning eight NCAA championships.

The games are held throughout the nation as a way of bringing awareness to the disease and the foundation.

All JV and varsity teams will be wearing special warm-up shirts, and all coaching staff will be wearing shirts to promote the game.  

Any type of donation will be accepted.

“We are pretty excited and glad that South Fork has agreed to do the fundraiser with us,” Ferndale head coach Jamie Ellsmore said.

This will be the second time Ferndale has hosted a “We Back Pat” game, having first done so five years ago.

“We are just trying to bring some awareness to this disease, and we know within our community many people have been affected by it,” Ellsmore said.

Wednesday’s JV game is scheduled for 6 p.m., with the varsity to follow at 7:30 p.m.