Opposing hitters have always found it difficult to hit Fortuna pitcher Hailey Dolcini, and that was before the junior UC Riverside commit had extra motivation in the circle.
Having struck out an amazing 356 batters last spring, Dolcini started thinking about ways her performance could transcend what happens during the season. She found her answer by starting her own fundraiser to benefit research for pediatric cancer.
“I wanted my success to benefit someone else,” Dolcini said. “I wanted to use what I love to do to help others do the same.”
The junior standout came up with the idea to run a campaign she has coined ‘K’s for Kids Cancer’, with 100 percent of the money she raises being donated at the end of the season to Cookies for Kids Cancer, a non-profit foundation based in New Jersey which in turn donates 100 percent of its proceedings to research and is partnered with companies such as Asics, Pan Am Equities, and Nestle.
The non-profit foundation was founded in 2008 by current president Larry Witt, whose son Liam died at age six from the disease. According to Witt, nine new pediatric cancer treatments have been developed since the foundation started.
“I started thinking about the idea in the fall, and started getting pledges from around the community in the winter,” Dolcini said. “Now, it’s something I think about almost every inning, and what it can mean to others.”
Dolcini raised over $3,000 in flat pledges prior to the season, and estimated that she is raising around $70 per game right now based on the pledges who choose to donate per strikeout. Considering her strikeout totals from last season, it was a brave choice for the individuals and companies who chose that route.
The impact of pediatric cancer on the Fortuna community was one which helped Dolcini decide on her direction with this fundraiser. Two current Huskies’ students are currently battling the disease, which is the number one disease killer for children in the United States. She described watching a family friend, who had previously also played softball, ending up in a wheelchair and having difficulty with basic tasks, as extra motivation for her fundraiser. Dolcini also sought advice of those in the community for guidance.
One individual who provided guidance for Dolcini was Stacy Craig, whose nine-year old son had been diagnosed with cancer, and is now one year cancer-free after receiving treatment.
“I went to (Stacy) to learn about the best place to donate the money I could raise, and she let me know about Cookies for Kids Cancer,” Dolcini said. “The response from the community has just been great, and I’ve also gotten a lot of great support from my team as well.”
In fact, Fortuna has decided to set aside a game this spring where it will donate proceeds from the game to also go towards Dolcini’s donation at the end of the season, joining their junior pitcher in her efforts. Dolcini now sees this as something that can grow beyond what she has started this season.
“I plan to continue the fundraiser next year, and I want to pass it down as a legacy at Fortuna,” Dolcini said. “I would also like to see it grow to other high schools in Humboldt County, and to meet with other pitchers in the area before next season and get them to join me.”
Fortuna coach Eric Helms was not surprised by Dolcini’s efforts to make an impact beyond the playing field.
“This just shows her personal initiative,” Helms said. “She wanted to do something positive through the softball community, and this just further shows the leadership capabilities she has always had since first setting foot on our campus.”
Dolcini’s dedication to making the fundraiser a success should come as no surprise, either. As a highly talented softball player far up the North Coast, last year’s Prep2Prep First-Team All-NCS pitcher has had to go beyond the normal level of commitment in order to showcase her skills and earn a college scholarship.
She plays her travel ball for the NorCal Firecrackers, based in Modesto. This means she regularly makes the six-hour drive each direction for weekend practices, and often farther for tournaments. This level of dedication now transcends her life across all phases – athletics, academics, and making an impact on others in society.
