SAN JOSE, Calif. –
The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that Avaya Stadium will host the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) 2016 Light The Night Walk for the Silicon Valley & Monterey Bay Area Chapter. The walk is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 22.
Held annually, the Light The Night Walk raises vital funds for the fight against blood cancers. An event that provides hope and inspiration, survivors, those battling the disease, friends, family and co-workers form teams to take part. Participants switch on symbolic lanterns to bring light to the dark world of cancer.
A specially-commissioned video marking the announcement of the walk can be seen
here
.
“We are excited to announce that we will be the venue for this powerful event,” said Earthquakes President Dave Kaval. “Moving Light The Night to Avaya Stadium is a landmark both for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the San Jose Earthquakes. This is a charity that is close to many of our hearts and we look forward to seeing thousands of people here raising more money than ever for a great cause. I cannot wait to see the stadium transformed and I am looking forward to lighting my lantern and leading our team on home soil."
Each fall, walks take place in close to 200 communities across North America. In 2015, Light the Night Walks in Northern California alone raised over $3 million for the fight against blood cancers.
LLS’ Silicon Valley Light the Night Walks have previously taken place in San Jose and downtown Palo Alto. For the 2016 event, Avaya Stadium, home of the Earthquakes, will be transformed from a soccer stadium into a beacon of hope for one showcase event, with the Quakes serving as host sponsors and LLS becoming the club’s health charity of choice.
Final details of the route will be released in the near future, but the walk will end on the field at the 18,000-capacity venue while a closing ceremony and celebration will be held in the 7UP Epicenter fan zone at the north end of the stadium.
“The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is honored to partner with the San Jose Earthquakes and presenting sponsor SanDisk to kick off a brand new Light The Night experience in Silicon Valley,” said LLS Executive Director Courtney Karnes. “The 2016 Walk will unite passionate community and corporate teams for an electric evening that provides hope and inspiration to patients. Participants will join together with one goal - to eradicate cancer."
To form a Light The Night team or to learn more, please call The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Silicon Valley & Monterey Bay Area Chapter at (408) 490-3134 or visit
www.lightthenight.org/svmb
About Avaya Stadium
Avaya Stadium is an 18,000-seat soccer-specific stadium located on Coleman Ave. adjacent to the San Jose International Airport. The European-inspired building is the first cloud-enabled venue in Major League Soccer and is among the most technologically advanced stadiums in the world. The stadium features a canopy roof and the steepest-raked seating in MLS to provide the best possible fan experience. Additionally, the north end zone houses the largest outdoor bar in North America, a two-acre fan zone and a double-sided video scoreboard. The suites and club seats are located at field level, giving fans a premium experience unlike any other in professional sports. The stadium hosted numerous non-Major League Soccer events during its inaugural season in 2015, including the International Champions Cup, which featured Manchester United and Club America, a Send-Off Series match for the United States Women’s National Team ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup and the American Ultimate Disc League Championship Weekend. For more information about Avaya Stadium, visit
sjearthquakes.com
.
About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ® (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services for patients and their loved ones. Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit
www.LLS.org
. Patients and caregivers should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6p.m. ET.
