By Lauren Pazienza
September 26, 2022
Billy and Christine Stec.
The Dedham varsity volleyball team on Stec Night.
A large crowd gathered in the DHS gymnasium on the evening of September 19th when the Marauder volleyball team faced off against Bellingham.
Attendance soared because the match also doubled as "Stec Night," an event to raise awareness for Christine Stec, a long time Dedham Public Schools employee who is battling pancreatic cancer.
Diagnosed at the end of May, she continues to fight every day.
Stec has been a Dedham teacher for 20+ years, working at Oakdale Elementary. Many of her former students who now attend DHS were in attendance for Stec Night and were covered in purple to show that she is not alone in her fight.
Whether it be selling awareness sweatshirts, stickers, or t-shirts, fundraising has had a major impact on the Stec family.
"It was a great pleasure to see so many people showing support for my aunt on and off the court," said Stec's niece and volleyball captain Grace Bayiates.
Bayiates started the evening off by thanking the crowd for their attendance and informing those unaware of her aunt’s situation.
After the speech, the volleyball team played a total of five long and hard fought sets against Bellingham. The first set was a tough loss that saw Bellingham win 26-24.
Bayiates scored the final point in set two to win 25-17, but Bellingham ended up coming back strong and winning the match.
Meet the Writer!
Lauren Pazienza, class of 2024, is a staff writer for the Dedham Mirror. She also competes as a Marauder on the soccer team and runs track. She enjoys spending time with her friends, family and her dog.
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