St. John’s will host Dribble for the Cure to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation for a third straight year as part of University Service Day this Saturday, Sept. 28.

St. John’s Hall of Famers Lou Carnesseca and Jack Kaiser announced earlier this month that they would again contribute to the event along with three SJU Alumni Basketball teams, men’s basketball head coach Steve Lavin and women’s head coach Joe Tartamella.

“St. John’s has always been about giving back,” Carnesecca said in a release. “I encourage everyone to come out and join us for what will be a great day for the St. John’s family.”

Carnesecca also credited the late Al McGuire, a former St. John’s basketball player, who created Dribble for a Cure to help fund for cancer research.

The three Alumni teams span three generations of the St. John’s basketball family, according to a release.  The teams have been divided by era and have each been given a name that describes their era.  The Stormin’ Redmen are captained by Tomas Jasiulionis from the Class of 2009, the Big East Redmen are captained by Alan Friedman, a team manager from the Class of 1983, and the Classic Redmen are captained by Ron Guzas, a team manger from the Class of 1968.

The event will take place on the Queens campus from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants will dribble through a 30-minute course winding through the St. John’s campus beginning and ending at Carnesecca Arena.  Along the way, they will be able to meet and get autographs and photographs with their favorite players and coaches from the St. John’s basketball teams.

The first two Dribble events saw nearly 1,000 combined participants raise a total of more than $65,000, the release said.  Last year’s event raised $25,000 alone. The proceeds from the event will once again support the PCRF Laboratory directed by Mitchell S. Cairo, M.D., at New York Medical College and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.

“Dribble for the Cure is not only a fundraising event, it’s an awareness event,” Dr. Cairo said in a statement. “It brings people in the community – particularly athletes and students – into the fold of understanding the importance of pediatric cancer research and the impact that it has not only on children today but also in the future.

“It also helps the University bring its students into the sphere of charity and doing public good – things that are part of the St. John’s University mission,” he said.

St. John’s students can register for $10, Children under 12 for $10 and Adults and Children over 12 for $25.

More information for the event is available at www.dribbleforthecure.com. Please note: participants are asked to bring their own basketball.