High schools all over the Valley and state have rallied the past several years to support cancer research and treatment through many national and local organizations. That effort continuesand is renewed  this month with countless fall sports teams holding fund-raisers for awareness and to help fight the disease.

One such event takes place Thursday night at Mesa High as the Jackrabbits girls volleyball team plays host to Basha. The teams will get down to business on the court, but they also aim to make it a special night as the gym will be covered in pink and the Mesa High booster club will be raffling off items. The proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Mesa High celebrates homecoming this week and the student council has made "Wear Pink" the spirit theme for Thursday in honor of the 'dig pink" match with Basha.

Later in the month -- Thursday October 25 to be precise -- the girls volleyball teams from Mountain Pointe and Desert Vista get together for their 5th-annual dig pink match. They are two of the top Division I programs in the state year-in-and-year out. The schools began selling raffle tickets in September with those proceeds going to the Side-Out Foundation. The Side-Out Foundation supports health care professionals and researchers and helps women and men with cancer maintain  or  regain control of their own lives through improved awareness, education, detection, treatmen, and cure.

It's always appreciated when parents and fans support their athletic teams, but there's a little extra when it's combined with helping a noble cause  Mesa High on Thursday night is a place to be. Desert Vista later in the month is another. Be sure to check into athletics and other school activities  at schools this month in your area that support such worthy causes.