It all began with a JV football player’s wish to honor the memory of his favorite aunt, who recently died of pancreatic cancer. Soon, the whole team and cheerleading squad joined in.
Vinny Incorvaia’s aunt, Joylynn Dalton Richman, died at the age of 53. “They were really close,” said his mom, and Richman’s sister, Marlane Barbier.
At first they were just going to pass out purple ribbons to the members of the JV football team to wear in a game against Highland on Oct. 9.
“It quickly changed to all the players wearing purple socks,” Barbier said.
But before Incorvaia’s hope of honoring his aunt’s memory could become a reality, head JV coach Joseph Tiano had to give his approval.
“This was something special,” Tiano said prior to the Highland game, which Saugerties won. “Everyone on the team knows someone who either has cancer or who has died from the disease, so when Vinny came to me, I said yes.”
“We’re trying to stomp out cancer,” Barbier said. “And we hope to make this a yearly observation. Each year, we’ll collect money and sell items at the game to raise money for a different cancer.”
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