The Heart to Heart basketball game and fundraiser occurred on April 15 at 6 p.m. at the Jim Wink Arena, in an effort to raise money for Special Olympics.
This basketball game is put on every year by the sports communications class to give students with disabilities a chance to play with non-disabled students on the basketball team.
This event was put together by professor Dr. Sandy Alspach, who explained how the event began.
“We started the sports communication class in 2011. We were looking for an event that the class could get behind and learn how to do sports events. Two students in the class had been in the rec management program that did Heart to Heart but their rec management association had fallen apart. The two students said, ‘I don’t think we will be able to do Heart To Heart this year because we don’t have the people.’”
Alspach then explained that she asked the class if they could be the people to put it on, which sparked the communications sports program putting on the event for the past 19 years.
Event Director and sports communications senior Ryan Pilon explained the support that the event had.
“We had around three months to kind of get things started,” Pilon said. “For this event, we’ve branched out a little, trying to get different sponsors for the event. So we were sponsored by Dean Transportation, Culver’s and Preferred Office Machines. We want to make it special for the athletes, but we also want to make it special for the fans that are watching.”
Some events held at the fundraiser included a halftime show where the men’s basketball team does a dunk contest and a raffle for the fans watching.
Pilon also explained the impact that the fundraiser has on the community.
“It’s all about spreading awareness for Special Olympics and giving Special Olympians this opportunity to play with the athletes,” Pilon said. “They look forward to it all year “.
The event’s Associate Athletic Director Jess Miller explained how the event tied into the community.
“As students who are creating, like running the event, it really allows us to open our perspectives in terms of community. How can we shine a light on a group of people who maybe don’t get the light very often? How do we show that they’re capable of having fun and enjoying these games just as much as anybody else?”
As of Monday April 21, $1,300 had been raised. The Torch will update the online edition of this article when the total amount has been counted.