MARYSVILLE — The Strawberry Festival Grand Parade on Saturday, June 16, featured hundreds of local people supporting their own causes including dozens of Powder Puff football players who strolled through the parade selling tickets for their upcoming Powder Puff football match-up on July 20.

The “Cougar Mamas” are a team made up of mothers of Lakewood football players who are set to face the “Tomamamas” — a team of Marysville football moms. Despite their upcoming rivalry, the two teams banded together on Saturday to help raise funds for both the Lakewood Youth Football Athletic Association and the Marysville Youth Football League.

“This will be our third year playing the Marysville team,” said Dawn Taylor, organizer for the Cougar Mamas. “One of the things we do to raise money is charge $5 for a single entry and $10 for family.”

The game is set for July 20 at 7 p.m. on the Marysville-Pilchuck High School football field. Those who want to support the Lakewood team pay on the Lakewood side of the field and those who want to support Marysville pay on the opposite side. “Each side gets to keep the money raised,” said Taylor.

Concessions are being sold during the game and money raised from them also goes to support the football associations, to be divided evenly between Lakewood and Marysville. The teams are also finding creative ways to support youth football as well as local businesses.

“We’ll do a program for the night of the game and people who would like to place an ad can buy one to go in the program,” said Taylor. “Everyone who attends will get a free program, so the businesses will get exposure that way.”

In addition to raising money through ticket sales and advertising, the Powder Puff teams are planning other audience-involved fundraisers for the day of the event. “We are also going to have some fun activities,” said Taylor. “We’ll do a 50/50 raffle and an eating contest.”

Last year, the Lakewood team raised more than $5,000 and the Marysville team raised more than $4,000 that went straight to Lakewood and Marysville football.

Despite the clear goal of raising money for youth athletics, the Powder Puff match-up is still a fiercely competitive game.

“Women are out there everyday at practice,” said Taylor. “We take winning the game very seriously.”

The game is also a way of bringing people together over friendly competition.

“It’s such a great night,” said Taylor. “It’s really cool when whole communities come together. People are surprised by how much fun it is.”

Pre-sale tickets for the game are available by contacting any team coach or player. The Arlington Eagles and Stanwood Spartans are set to face each other on July 28 at Haller Middle School.