A basketball tournament on March 20, hosted by the National Honor Society (NHS), went beyond the bounds of sports when it raised funds for the Children’s Therapy Center of the Quad Cities.
More than 40 students attended this event, creating a total of 12 teams; two teachers, Sara Russell and Brett Ahlgren, also jumped into the action. Each participant was required to pay an entrance fee of $5. Between the participation fee and other donations, the event collected $231.
The Children’s Therapy Center will funnel this money directly into their iCan Shine Bike Camp, a camp that will teach kids with special needs how to ride two-wheeled bikes. NHS Executive Susan Anil said, “This is a phenomenal cause that we have been privileged and honored to support for the past two years.”
NHS executive Jacob Bandy is organizing the fundraising committee. Students in this committee are in the process of contacting businesses from around the Quad Cities in order to collect more funds for the Children’s Therapy Center. Bandy did not underestimate the importance of fundraising. “We are excited and looking forward to being able to contribute to such a worthy cause,” he said.
In order to raise more money for the foundation, the NHS is also hosting multiple other events. Although the basketball tournament has already occurred, a dodgeball tournament is coming in the near future.
NHS members strive to involve local businesses in these events by asking them for donations or a door prize for PV Palooza, the NHS’s main event used for raising money for the Children’s Therapy Center. Each person who attends PV Palooza will be entered into a raffle to win one of these door prizes.
PV Palooza will offer a wide range of activities and entertainment. There are many performances planned for the event: the Stars and Sparkles teams, two bands, and the improv teams. For attendants who are not interested in the main entertainment, there will be a variety of other games and events to enjoy. For example, there will be video game tournaments, Jenga, lawn games, and face painting.
In order to attract more students to the event, a change has been made from last year’s PV Palooza. To make it more accessible for students, the function will not be as long as it has been in past years. “By shortening the event, we hope to have more people who are interested in attending to support the cause,” Anil said.
While the basketball tournament has already passed, students still have the opportunity to support this cause. The National Honor Society is preparing more events for the student body to get involved with giving back to the community. The main event, PV Palooza, will be held on April 13th for students who would like to raise money for the Children’s Therapy Center.
