Warren Playoff Game: Gold-Out Fundraiser Targets Childhood Cancer Support

A high school football game in Warren on Friday night will serve as a direct fundraising channel for the CK Foundation, with proceeds directed toward families currently battling childhood cancer. Mike Papouras, a junior cornerback at University School, organized the event, which is titled "Some Things are Bigger than Football." The team will wear gold decals and gold laces during the contest against Howland, utilizing the official color for childhood cancer awareness.

Papouras stated the primary financial goal is to "raise money to support families in the fight right now." The initiative stems from a personal connection to Jack Sawyer, a teenager from Mentor who died of Ewing sarcoma. Sawyer was named honorary captain of the Mentor High Cardinals during a home game against Euclid on October 20, 2023. At that time, he was 17 years old and fighting an aggressive bone cancer.

During the 2023 match, players from the opposing Euclid team, who wore yellow, presented Sawyer with a shirt bearing the event's title. Papouras was 13 years old and witnessed the tribute. His father was the superintendent of Euclid City Schools at the time. Papouras noted that he realized at 13 that "there are kids who have to deal with things way harder than what I'm going through," prompting his desire to ease their burden.

This fall, Papouras contacted Dawn Sawyer, Jack's mother, to request permission for the fundraiser. In a letter, he described Jack as a peer who "loved football, loved being a cardinal, and still found a way to lift other people up." Dawn Sawyer approved the effort, describing it as an amazing gesture that keeps her son's legacy alive. She is scheduled to join Papouras on the field for Friday's game.

The message for the event includes a note from Jack read by the announcer at the 2023 game: "Remember my motto, PACE: Positive Attitude Changes Everything." Papouras hopes attendees will adopt this motto. The CK Foundation will receive the funds raised to provide support for families managing the disease.

Support for the cause also extends to Mentor High School. Dawn Sawyer reported that a player from the Cardinals contacted her to confirm the entire team will wear yellow socks against Euclid on Friday night. The seniors specifically sought a way to remember Jack. Justin Hodge, a former Mentor student currently playing at Miami University, has also helped sustain awareness for Sawyer's memory.

Dawn Sawyer expressed gratitude to the young people for their love and support. She credited them with continuing to champion the PACE motto and keeping Jack's memory visible in the community.