Students managed to combine charity, athleticism and fun on Oct. 3 for multiple competitive games of three-on-three basketball in the Fitzgerald Gymnasium.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation has helped make the wishes of more than 250,000 terminally ill children come true annually, since being founded in 1980.
The Golden Key International Honor Society and Students for Change — the student association government — raised money for the foundation by holding a three-on-three basketball tournament.
With a total of 12 teams, each game was won by the first person to score eleven points or whoever was leading by the end of the allotted ten minute time. The team, Young Guns, won the tournament with a score of 11 to 6. Although it was competitive, there was a general sense of amiability in the air.
Joey Billet, a freshman, stated that he joined because it was for a good cause, despite having a less than stellar outcome.
“I had fun, even though our team was demolished,” Billet said.
In the past, Golden Key has hosted book drives to donate books to elementary school children. Jacob Schlusselberg and Tiffany Sprung — both presidents of Golden Key — helped organize the events with other honor society and student association members.
Schlusselberg, a senior, who participated in the tournament, said it was important to help out children with fatal illnesses and this was a good medium to do so. Tiffany Sprung, also a senior, stated that they intended to raise at least $500 from donations.
However, organizing the basketball game was not a completely smooth process. Originally, the tournament was to be held in the Student Union parking lot, however due to both the rain and issues with Public Safety, it was moved to the gym.
Hilana Smith, who is on the charity board of Golden Key, stated that the change of location had both a negative and positive impact. If the game had been held in the parking lot, there would have been more spectators, and consequentially, more donations. Conversely, having the tournament in the gym meant easier refereeing and more organization.
By the end of the tournament, Golden Key had managed to raise over $400.
