Boys Basketball Tournament to Raise Funds for Rec Center
The Recreation Center in Calais is one of the assets of the community, and scarcely a week goes by that a sports event or party of some kind is not held in the building. Unfortunately, the older building is in need of basic repairs to keep it in the kind of condition that it deserves to be in, based on the community’s usage of it. To meet that need, the students of Washington County Community College’s Supervisory Management class are organizing a basketball tournament between six teams of Junior High School boys, to be held on December 9th.
The tournament will be a round robin-style, double-elimination event, and it will begin in the morning at the Calais High School gymnasium. The time will be decided once the teams are signed up; contact the Recreation Department at 454-2761 to confirm. At the same time, a Chinese auction will be held in the cafeteria to give attendees the opportunity to win some potential holiday gifts or other amenities. Guests will also be able to enjoy homemade food, including favorites such as macaroni and cheese, kielbasa, hot dogs, and baked goods, many of which will be prepared by the students of WCCC.
The event is part of the Supervisory Management class’s philosophy of conducting service projects to benefit causes in the community and abroad at the same time as learning how to manage and coordinate major events.
The students involved in this project selected the Recreation Center based on its importance to the community. Many of the students utilized the center themselves when they were younger, and some of them have children that now regularly make use of it. “They use it for so many different things, not just for sports,” said WCCC student Samantha Thomas. “They use it for birthday parties and all kinds of events.” So far, participating in the organization of the event has been an enjoyable experience for the students. “It’s been good, it’s been great,” Thomas said. “It’s nice, because a lot of people in the community are willing to help.”
According to Recreation Director Craig Morrison, funds raised will be used in part for painting the interior and restoring the floors of the building. “It’s always nice when people reach out and want to help,” Morrison said. “WCCC has been a great supporter of the Recreation Department, and it’s been greatly appreciated.”
To make a donation to the Chinese auction, please drop it off at the front office of WCCC. For more information about the event or to make alternate arrangements to donate, contact Samantha Thomas at 904-8532.