After decades of research, someone finally found a use for a dreaded holiday treat ? fruitcake.
Residents of Independence Village at Waterstone participated in the senior residential community’s Fifth Annual Fruitcake Fling held Jan. 4.
Fifteen flingers went head-to-head in the courtyard to see who could toss a piece of fruitcake the farthest.
Janelle Grai, Kaity Fisher and Liz Hazelwood, all members of Oxford High School’s DECA Club, were on hand to measure, mark and judge who threw their fruitcake the furthest.
Dorothy VanderHaagen took first place and won a complimentary dinner at Independence Village.
Dorman Bell came in second. Earning third place was Oxford’s own Ethel Webster.
Prior to the fruitcake launching, the DECA students spoke to the assembled seniors about breast cancer as part of a public relations project.
‘We just want to reach as much of the community as we can, as many different people as we can,? Hazelwood said. ‘That’s why we decided to come here.?
Fischer noted that one in every seven women is diagnosed with breast cancer.
Oxford Township has more than 8,000 women.
‘That means that 1,160 of them will be diagnosed in just Oxford alone,? Fischer said. ‘About 43,000 in Oakland County.?
‘We decided with so many people being affected that it was important to get the word out to all age groups,? Fischer explained.
‘Over 13 million women in the United States don’t get mammograms, so we wanted to stress the importance of getting mammograms and early detection,? Hazelwood said.
To help fight breast cancer, the DECA students have organized a fund-raiser in conjunction with the Max & Erma’s Restaurant on Baldwin Road in Auburn Hills.
On Tuesday, Jan. 16, patrons who dine there and present a special coupon will have 20 percent of their bill donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
‘We’re hoping a lot of people go,? Grai said.
Those wishing to obtain one of these coupons can call Fischer at (248) 736-6096 or Grai at (248) 568-3349.