Athletes are coming together to help cure cancer.

Members of PAWS, Providing Athletes With Support, will walk Thursday to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

The goal for PAWS is to raise $8,000 to donate. This is the organization’s first walk for the cause.

“All the athletes did the fundraising,” PAWS President Vrahram Kadkhodaian said. “It is an excellent way to give back to the community.”

Kadkhodaian, a senior management major, said PAWS has raised about $8,000 – the intended goal.

“All of the athletes that are available to walk, considering their practice schedules, will walk,” Kadkhodaian said. “It is a great way to do something for the community as a whole, as opposed to small groups doing various events and various times.”

About 400 NIU athletes plan to participate in the walk, Kadkhodaian said.

Kadkhodaian also is the captain of the NIU soccer team.

PAWS has representatives from every sport to attend monthly meetings to determine issues of concerns for athletes, he said.

“We are the voice between administration and the athletes,” Kadkhodaian said. “It is, in a sense, the government of the athletes.”

Kadkhodaian said he presented the idea to walk to former Athletic Director Cary Groth.

“We do community service all the time,” Kadkhodaian said. “We handed out pledge sheets around Thanksgiving for the athletes to ask family members and friends to donate.”