Papuraoas Targets $5,000 for Cancer Families at Warren Playoff

University School junior Mike Papouras set a $5,000 fundraising goal for the CK Foundation ahead of Friday night’s game against Howland. The event, titled "Some Things are Bigger than Football," aims to support families currently battling childhood cancer. Papouras stated the objective is to raise money to support families in the fight right now.

The concept originated from a 2023 game in Mentor, where 17-year-old Jack Sawyer was named honorary captain while fighting Ewing sarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer. On October 20, 2023, the stadium announcer introduced Sawyer to the crowd. Players from the opposing Euclid team, who wore yellow, presented him with a shirt reading "Some Things are Bigger than Football."

Papuraoas was 13 at the time and watched the game because his father served as the superintendent of Euclid City Schools. The experience left a lasting impression on him. He said he realized there are kids who have to deal with things way harder than what he is going through. He added that he would like to make it a little easier for them. Sawyer died shortly after that 2023 matchup.

This fall, Papouras wrote to Dawn Sawyer, Jack’s mother, to seek her blessing for the fundraiser. In the letter, he noted that he never met Jack but thought about a kid his age who loved football and lifted others up. He expressed a desire for other kids to hear that story. Dawn Sawyer described the effort as an amazing gesture. She said she is deeply touched and proud, and she expects to join Papouras on the field for Friday’s Gold Out.

The game will feature a Gold Out, using the official color for childhood cancer awareness. Papouras said players will wear decals and gold laces. The CK Foundation will receive the proceeds. The event is scheduled for Friday night in Warren.

Support for Sawyer’s memory is also coming from his former school. Dawn Sawyer said a Mentor High football player contacted her to announce the entire Cardinals team will wear yellow socks in his honor against Euclid Friday night. The player said the seniors made a point of finding a way to remember Jack. Sawyer also credited Justin Hodge, a former Mentor student who now plays at Miami University, with helping keep Jack’s legacy alive.

At the 2023 game, an announcer read a note from Sawyer that included his motto, PACE: Positive Attitude Changes Everything. Papouras said he hopes others will hear that motto and carry it with them. Dawn Sawyer said she is grateful to the young people for their support and to everyone who continues to champion PACE and Jack’s memory.