MUSCLE SHOALS—The students at Muscle Shoals Middle School know a thing or two about raising money for important causes. They do it every year.

This year the school is raising money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, for breast cancer research. October is breast cancer awareness month.

The fundraising efforts began Monday with a school-wide assembly kicking off this year’s service project.

Organizer Melanie Calvert said the reason the school chose breast cancer as its cause is “it’s hitting our school home this year, and one of our teachers is affected right now by breast cancer.

“Everyone has been touched in some way by this disease and we have many (employees and parents) who’ve battled this. It’s a little way of being able to help when you feel helpless. It’s honoring our friend and all the others who’ve gone through this ordeal.”

Lisa Singleton-Rickman can be reached at 256-740-5735 or lisa.singleton-rickman@TimesDaily.com.