Windham to Host 2nd Annual Hoops for Hope
Tip Off
High
School Basketball
October 30, 2008
WINDHAM ME: The
Windham School department will be combining two
annual events this year; the 'Turkey Tip Off'
tournament and the 'Hoops for Hope' basketball game
to be held November 21-22.
Windham started the
Hoops for Hope game two years ago when Windham
Middle School teacher Shelly Cook approached Windham
High School teacher and Boys Varsity Basketball
Coach Kevin Millington about a basketball game she
was planning.
The game pitted the
State Police against the Local Media Celebrities and
was being planned to raise money for the Barbara
Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center in
Portland.
The Windham High
School basketball players helped sell tickets and
some even played in the game. The event raised
$8,000 that the hospital used to buy televisions and
laptops for patients and their families to use.
Coach Millington said,
"Our hope is to raise $60,000 this year but it would
require substantial donations from local business
and supporters. We feel we are moving in the right
direction in meeting our goals."
Windham High School's
student council has gotten involved this year by
donating money and selling tickets to the games.
Donations have also come in from the Maine State
Police.
Windham has made the
event bigger this year by incorporating it into the
'Turkey Tip Off' tournament.
Windham has
participated in the 'Turkey Tip Off' in Gorham for
the last 12 years. When Gorham High School
basketball coach Kevin Jenkins retired last year he
offered Windham the opportunity to keep the
tournament going.
This year the
tournament will be held in Windham and Gorham.
Coach Millington said,
"Since the basketball season starts the week before
Thanksgiving this season and we have school that
week (Friday November 21) it was necessary for us to
have two sites. Normally we can begin play in the
early afternoon because of no school. As a result we
can still accommodate 12 games."
The tournament
consists of 12 teams playing two games each.
Millington added, "The tournament will remain a
tradition at Windham for the near future."
This is the first time
the tournament and the State Police v Media game has
been held as part of the same event. Millington
said, "Our plans down the road are to see how it
goes this year and then meet and reflect." |
