BENNINGTON, Vt. – On Saturday, Southern Vermont College and Regis College will celebrate Jimmy V Week during a New England Collegiate College women’s basketball contest at the Mountaineer Athletic Center on the SVC campus (1 p.m.).

Jimmy V Week is an initiative by ESPN that started on Tuesday, Dec. 3 and will conclude Tuesday, Dec. 17. Coaches and SVC staff will be wearing sneakers during the game to recognize and commemorate the cause. There will also be a donation jar at the concession table for anyone wishing to help the V Foundation.

20 years ago at the ESPY Awards ceremony, Jim Valvano, a former college basketball coach and ESPN broadcaster, mentioned those legendary words: “Don’t give up… Don’t ever give up!” Valvano was diagnosed at the age of 46 in 1992 and died shortly after of metastatic cancer in ’93.

Prior to his passing, however, Valvano and ESPN started the Foundation to raise money in order to fund the eradication of the disease. Since then, The V Foundation has awarded more than $115 million to more than 100 facilities nationwide and proudly awards 100% of direct donations and net event proceeds to cancer research. Addressing the need to help early-career cancer investigators develop into promising future research talents was the first goal of the Foundation. The V Scholar concept was developed in 1994 to address that need. Today, this highly respected award is eagerly sought by young physician/scientists at the nation’s leading cancer centers.

The men’s basketball team will be participating in the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Weekend on January 25 during its home game against Elms College to help raise money for the American Cancer Society.