By JOHN HOWELL

Deb Weinreich is great at making connections. She is also a fierce competitor.

Now she is using those two attributes and her ability to bring people together to help find a cure for cancer. It’s not something Deb, who became the state’s first female sports editor when she joined the staff of the Warwick Beacon in 1988 fresh out of URI, expected she would ever do. She served in the role of sports editor for 12 years, shining the spotlight of the newspaper on youth athletes and organizing events such as the outstanding athletes of the year breakfast held for many years at the Crowne Plaza.

Deb still stays in touch with many of those players as well as the coaches. One of those who reached out as soon as he heard of her campaign was Jamal Gomes, who she has known since he played basketball at Hendricken and was named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year.

“He’s been a huge supporter,” Deb said of Gomes, who is the head basketball coach and guidance counselor at Hendricken.

Deb knows the people in the news media, in sports, and on the court – the tennis court, especially. She is a level 4.0 player in the United States Tennis Association.

It’s no wonder then that Deb turned to some of her tennis connections when it came to her latest challenge to raise $50,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for cancer research. This Saturday, Deb will stage a tennis clinic, doubles tournament, beer and wine tasting, plus silent and live actions at the Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport. With help from Brewer Rowe at the Hall of Fame and friends who will be providing the food, the wine and beer, plus more than 60 auction items – including tickets on Southwest Airlines, a trip to Jamaica, and five nights at a Marriott resort in Hawaii – Deb is hopeful of nearing her goal. It’s all come together because of her connections. Her college roommate, who she hasn’t heard from in years, arranged for the stay in Hawaii. Then there have been the contributions in response to her appeal to friends and acquaintances, so she’s already got a headstart on her goal.

The Saturday event starts at 4 p.m. at the Hall of Fame indoor tennis facility, with clinics from the professionals and a round-robin doubles tournament starting at 5 p.m.

“You know how I love to compete,” Deb says.

But that doesn’t mean this will be all hardcore tennis. She has arranged for social and competitive divisions. Tickets are $75 for tennis and the beer and wine event starting at 5 p.m. Tickets for the beer and wine tasting only are $25. Tickets are available by contacting Deb at debweinreich1@gmail.com or 580-3106.

“My mission is simple – to win,” she writes in her letter. “Not for me, but for those diagnosed every four minutes with blood cancer.”

“Everybody is affected by cancer,” Deb said in a recent interview at Brewed Awakenings on Route 2.

She recalled how many years ago she received a call from Lou D’Ambroca and how the Little League coach wanted to run a tournament in the name of his late son. The son graduated from Hendricken, where he played ball, and went on to Providence College. He lost his battle to cancer before graduating from college.

There are many more. Far more recently, she recalls the death of Marite Koch, followed two years later by the death of her husband, Peter. If successful in raising $50,000, Deb would name a research grant in honor of the Koches.

Deb believes it important these people not be forgotten. The focus of her campaign, however, is on the successes. She mentions the friend next door as a kid who complained of stomach pain and was diagnosed with colon cancer. She has completed her treatments and so far is cancer-free.

Then there is Madeline Marcottee, who she names in her appeal letter. Madeline was almost four years old when diagnosed with leukemia and lymphoma. She underwent chemo treatments and now at the age of 16 is an All-State swimmer, lacrosse player and honor student.

Deb has been fortunate. She has her health. She left the Beacon to work for Cox Communications and has since run her own public relations firm. She helped put the Providence Sky Chiefs, the minor league basketball team financed by Giovanni Feroce, on the map, only to see it come apart after money became tight. She is now working with Dennis Littky, founder of the Met School in Providence, on the school’s 20th anniversary celebration to take place May 21.

She always is involved in many projects, often on a pro bono basis because she believes in the cause and the people. As sports editor, she covered Will Blackmon when he played Hendricken football and followed his career. Blackmon is a defensive back with the Washington Redskins. Deb helped run his camp for 200 kids last year and plans to do that again this summer.

When asked if she would be a candidate for the LLS 2016 Man and Woman of the Year competition, Deb dismissed the idea. She doesn’t have the relatives with the deep pockets who could, with a check, put her in the running for the title based on the funds raised. But then the cause is important to her. And, remember, she has boundless energy and is competitive.

She went to her network. She had 15 friends over for dinner and soon things were percolating. Auction items started coming in. The event at the Tennis Hall of Fame came together. She’s pulling in professional players and those she knows in the media. Well, just about everyone.

“This campaign is crazy, but this is how I operate,” she says.

She’s uncertain what will follow the Hall of Fame event, but she’s certain to come up with something else by the June 18 deadline.

“Help me,” she says, “so that there are more success stories like Madeline’s.”

Donations can be made by visiting mwoy.org/pages/ri/ri16/dweinreich or by mailing a check made out to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (Deb Weinreich in the subject line) to her at 170 Sixth St. Providence, RI 02906.