Bobcats And Panthers To Join Forces For Basketball Hoops For Hope Cancer Awareness And Fundraiser Program, at Clarion, On Friday, February 10th (T-Shirts Can Be Ordered On Line Until Monday, January 22nd)
Photos in gym are from 2020 Hoops for Hope Event
The Clarion Bobcats and Keystone Panthers Basketball Teams and Boosters will join together for the Hoops for Hope Cancer Awareness And Fundraiser Program, at Clarion, On Friday, February 10th. Proceeds will benefit the Sunshine Project at Butler Health System – Clarion Hospital’s Clarion Cancer Center.
The event will begin with the Junior High boys meeting at 3:30. The Junior Varsity girls will face off at 4:45 in the main gym and the JV boys will compete at 5:00 in the auxiliary gym. The Varsity girls game is scheduled to start at 6:15 in the main gym with the Varsity boys game to follow.
The Clarion Area Pep Band under the direction of Miss Sarah Dawson will play the National Anthem and will play during the contests.
Between the two Varsity games, the players will come together on the court to form a human ribbon. At that time, all fans in attendance who are cancer survivors or are fighting cancer are asked to join the players in the ribbon. The Clarion Singers, under the direction of Miss Sarah Matson, will sing “Rise Up,” which has been adopted as an anthem for the fight against cancer, during the formation of the ribbon.
Mary Rearick and Tracy Myers from the Clarion Cancer Center will each speak about The Sunshine Project, along with a guest speaker who has benefited from the Sunshine Project will also say a few words.
Cancer survivors/fighters (including survivors/fighters from areas other than Clarion and Keystone) are invited to attend at no charge.
Clarion Area Boys and Girls Basketball Booster Club works with Mary Rearick and Jen Wingard and the Keystone Boosters, and Tiki Kahle from the Mrs. Claus Club to make the event happen.
There are many different ways to donate during the event.
There will be raffle tickets for fabulous gift baskets donated by area businesses and individuals. There will also be a “Lucky Duck” toss with each duck purchased at $5.00 and if you win with a duck that you toss, you’ll receive $100.
A full and expanded concessions stand will be available for the event.
The “Mrs. Claus Club” will have a table set up in the lobby with lots of information (they are a fabulous sponsor of the event). The club raises money to help cancer patients in our area, with services that include, comfort items, such as gas cards and grocery cards and just support so that they know they are not alone and to help them with their battle with cancer.
Mrs. Caitlin Lees’ art class will be decorating the walls for the Hoops for Hope event.
Also, prior to the event you can order a Hoops for Hope T-shirt, which can be worn at the event in support of cancer survivors/fighters and also raises more funds. Information and a link to order is at the bottom of this article.
This will be the eighth year that the Clarion and Keystone Boosters and Basketball Teams have come together for the purpose of recognizing people who have fought a courageous battle against cancer and raising money for The Sunshine Project.
The Sunshine Project covers costs cancer patients incur that insurance won’t cover. It’s a local organization that has done and continues to do tremendous good in our area.
On average, this event raises roughly $5,000, with all proceeds going to the Sunshine Project.
Keystone and Clarion take turns hosting Hoops for Hope.
Mary Rearick, who in addition to her involvement with Keystone, is a staff member at the Butler Health System Cancer Care at Clarion Hospital shared, “The proceeds from our Hoops For Hope event are given to The Clarion Sunshine Project. This non-profit helps cancer patients pay their medical bills that their health insurance doesn’t cover, i.e., their deductible and out-of-pocket expenses.
“This is usually in the range of $1,500-8,000. Cancer patients often are unable to work while undergoing their cancer treatments, so its always a hardship on them coming up with the money to cover these out-of-pocket expenses before their insurance company kicks in 100%. This can be tests/scans they get, or Doctor office visits, chemotherapy or radiation therapy just to name a few of the costs.”
“The Clarion Sunshine Project has been a blessing to countless individuals in our area and the counties surrounding Clarion.”
Mary shared how Hoops for Hope came about, “Hoops For Hope was birthed from Union’s Battle In The Burg from years ago. That event was always held between Union and Keystone. When the group that organized that event decided to retire holding The battle in the burg, Jen Wingard and myself decided to try and continue with the idea of a fund raiser to help cancer patients in the area.
“Laura Burford expressed an interest so we decided to make it a yearly event between Clarion and Keystone and came up with the name Hoops For Hope. Each year it is overwhelming the amount of support we get from the community! People look forward to the event every year.”
What a wonderful event. Please come out on Friday, February 10th in support. And don’t forget to order your Hoops for Hope (H4H) T-Shirt.
Follow this link to order your H4H T-Shirt . Specify of you want it delivered to the High School or Elementary (orders due by Monday, January 22nd):
https://hoops-for-hope-2023.spiritsale.com/
Once on the site, you can list if you want to pick your H4H T-shirt up at Clarion High School, Clarion Elementary, Keystone High School or have them mailed to you.
Thank you to all involved in this great endeavor!!!!