The second annual Rotary Hoop-A-Thon is set to take place on Saturday, April 5, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Duchess Park Secondary School. This event is held in partnership with the UNBC Timberwolves and Rotary clubs across Prince George.
The Hoop-A-Thon has a proven track record of raising funds for the community. The inaugural event last year raised $12,000 for local scholarships, bursaries, community projects, youth sports, at-risk youth, and more.
The event will feature 70 or more free-throw shooters, each having one minute to make as many baskets as possible. Sponsors can make either a fixed or non-fixed pledge, with the amount of money raised increasing based on the number of baskets shooters make.
Lorne Calder spoke to The Citizen about the inspiration behind this unique Rotary Club event.
“I was a district governor with Rotary,” said Calder. “I saw it in the Lower Mainland, and I liked what it was doing for the community as a whole. In the Lower Mainland, they partnered with Global TV and Chris Gailes, but they’ve been running this for over 20 years. I liked the fact that it includes Interact, Rotaract, and Rotary clubs as a whole. It’s the only fundraiser we have that can do that. You have to think about what’s important for the younger generation and even for some of us older folks. For example, I’m going to shoot hoops, and I’m 68. I’m going to do my best to raise money.”
So far, Calder has secured a sponsorship of $120 per basket, a price he attributes to the community’s playful pressure on him to succeed.
Calder hopes to exceed the $11,000 raised last year. With six corporate sponsors, he believes they can surpass the previous total. He also shared with The Citizen the various projects and organizations the event aims to support.
“We’re raising money for different categories,” said Calder. “We’re trying to raise funds for at-risk youth. We have five or six organizations in mind. Depending on how much we raise, we might spread it around a bit, like helping families living in poverty or seniors who are isolated and in poverty. For Rotary projects, 50 percent of the proceeds will go toward those. We’re trying to start a few newer projects, but we need to raise significant funds to get them off the ground.”
Calder is urging the community to get involved.
“We’re encouraging people to come out and just shoot hoops,” said Calder. “We hope they’ll raise a bit of money or make a donation to the Prince George Community Foundation. Right now, we’re more interested in increasing the number of shooters to raise the profile of the event and make it more successful in the years to come.”
For more information on how to donate or participate, visit pgrotary.ca.
