Oct. 30, 2009

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Sunday's Osteocarcoma Volleyball Benefit Match for Raeanna Gutkowski, the last of three events as part of the "Rae of Hope" series, will include signed shirts, hats and footballs from members of the New York Jets that will be raffled off. The match between Marist and Iona will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the McCann Center.

A total of five shirts, five hats and three footballs will be raffled off, with all proceeds going to cover the medical expenses of Raeanna, a junior on the Marist volleyball team who is batting Osteocarcoma. Members of the Jets who signed the memorabilia include 2009 first-round draft choice and quarterback Mark Sanchez, wide receivers Jerricho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards, and offensive linemen D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Alan Faneca, Brandon Moore and Nick Mangold. Other prizes that will be raffled off include a weekend townhouse at Hunter Mountain & Ski Resort in Hunter, N.Y., and

"A Rae of Hope" started as a school project for four seniors. Over the past month it has clearly turned into something more than a project. The first event raised an estimated $650 at Applebee's with over an hour wait at points in the night. Ten percent of every check that had a voucher was donated to Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Pediatric Cancers in the name of Raeanna Gutkowski. The group raised the most money in Applebee's District history. The second event was an Information Session held on the campus of Marist College by Dr. Mary Dunne and counselors Allison Friedman and Andrea Pesavento.

Admission to the match is free. For more information email RaeOfHope12@gmail.com.