Wednesday, the Becker football team gathered at Pebble Creek to celebrate the team, the coaches, the players. It was also time spent teaching and reminding the young student-athletes that there is more to life than toting around a pigskin.

Wednesday’s gathering included a visit from KARE 11 Anchor Randy Shaver and the meal was provided by five-star restaurant Fogo De Chão Steakhouse^® of Minneapolis.

All this is leading up to Becker’s annual Tackle Cancer game and it couldn’t be more perfect when the team gets the founder of the campaign to give a motivational speech.

“Cancer doesn’t care who you are, or who you love,” said Shaver when asked about his message. “Everyone is learning this lesson the hard way. Whether it’s family members, friends, classmates, people you work with.” 

“Tackle Cancer is a reminder, doing nothing is not an option,” he continued. “Research leads to successful protocols, even cures. Without it, we have no chance. Those researchers need money to do their work.”

“That’s where the Randy Shaver Cancer Research & Community Fund comes in. We give Minnesota researchers money to do their work. If they find success, we keep funding them.”

“We also fund patient aid projects across the state,” he said. “We do not pay salaries. We do not fund cancer patients. We pay for the tools researchers need to do their work.”

Shaver was diagnosed with cancer in 1989 and five years later started Tackle Cancer, a program designed to raise money for cancer awareness and research.

Tackle Cancer has been going on for 15 years and has also helped raise around six million dollars for cancer research. Over 140 different schools from around Minnesota participate and designate one game in their season to wear pink and receive donations for cancer research. 

Fogo de Chão^® is an internationally-renowned restaurant from Brazil that allows guests to discover what’s next at every turn. Founded in Southern Brazil in 1979, Fogo^® elevates the centuries-old culinary art of churrasco – roasting high-quality cuts of meat over an open flame – into a cultural dining experience of discovery.

Shaver was honored to have been asked by Coach Dwight Lundeen to speak to his kids.

“Coach Lundeen is an amazing man, a good friend and an incredible leader of young men,” Shaver said. “When he retires it will leave a large void in Becker, but — think of all the lives he’s impacted! If those boys/men go forward and do half of what Dwight did, imagine the impact.”

“He’s a special man.”