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Sharpshooter
Mohawks to help Warriors
Waldron girls’ basketball team to raise funds for wounded veterans
By Ron Hamilton
Staff writer
Published: Monday, August 24, 2009 8:12 AM US/eastern
The Waldron High School girls’ varsity basketball team will be taking on more than just the Hauser Jets on Nov. 20, they’ll also be fighting for another good cause — the nation’s wounded military veterans.
Scott Spahr, the team’s assistant coach and a veteran injured in Operation Desert Storm, said several members of the girls’ program coaching staff have formed the One Goal — One Game Committee and are planning a fundraising dinner before the game and a silent auction at halftime to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project.
Britt Small, who is known as the musical voice of America’s veterans, has made a commitment to be there, Spahr said.
“All proceeds from the event will be donated to the nonprofit organization to support a full range of programs and services for severely injured members of the military and their families,” he said.
According to Spahr, the WWP’s mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. Thousands of American troops have been wounded in recent conflicts, he said, and many of them suffer from traumatic brain injuries, amputations and severe burns which may retire them from the military service.
“The committee’s goal is to raise not only funds for this organization, but also to raise awareness of the dangers faced by our military men and women on a daily basis,” he said.
Spahr noted that the fundraising committee consists of himself and fellow assistant coaches Rodney Suiter and Michelle Harker. He said the trio wants to raise enough money to help the WWP provide 40 special backpacks to injured soldiers arriving at military hospitals.
“The WWP backpacks contain essential care and comfort items like clothing, toiletries, calling card, CD player and playing cards, all designed to make their hospital stay more comfortable,” he said. “They are provided to severely wounded veterans arriving at military trauma centers.”
Spahr added that smaller versions of the backpacks — transitional care packs — are sent directly to Iraq and Afghanistan to provide immediate comfort during a warrior’s relocation to the U.S. Military Trauma Center.
“This event is very special to me because of my military service past,” he said. “But it’s also special to the girl athletes involved. They understand what it means to put on a uniform, represent others and fight for a cause.”
Harker said the Waldron players will be wearing special uniforms when they play Hauser on Nov. 20. Not only will they carry the school color, royal blue, but they also will be of camouflage design and will be sold in a silent auction to help raise money.
Plans call for the fundraising event to kick off with a pre-game dinner with guest speaker at the WHS cafeteria at 5 p.m. A combined dinner and game ticket costs $15, while children aged 10 and under can eat dinner and see the game for $10.
“The dinner will be provided by the Waldron Health and Rehab Center and McKay Manor,” Harker said. “Dinner tickets only cost $10, and only 200 will be sold, so they must be purchased in advance.”
Suiter, Spahr and Harker have met weekly since mid-July to help organize the fundraising event and have the support of school administration officials and head coach Brad Gossett. Harker noted that all three senior players, including Nicole Brand, Emily Wolf and Katie Dickerson, began coming up with ideas to help raise awareness and start collecting funds when they learned details about the upcoming event.
“I think we are so fortunate to have people in the military fighting for us and our freedoms,” Dickerson said. “We want everybody to come out, eat dinner, see the ballgame and root for the Lady Mohawks and help honor a military hero or two.”
For more information on the Wounded Warrior Project, visit Wounded Warrior Project - Home. To purchase dinner and game tickets, donate items or help sponsor the fundraising event on Nov. 30, contact Spahr at (317) 512-5033 or by e-mail at spahrclans@yahoo.com.
Waldron girls’ basketball team to raise funds for wounded veterans
By Ron Hamilton
Staff writer
Published: Monday, August 24, 2009 8:12 AM US/eastern
The Waldron High School girls’ varsity basketball team will be taking on more than just the Hauser Jets on Nov. 20, they’ll also be fighting for another good cause — the nation’s wounded military veterans.
Scott Spahr, the team’s assistant coach and a veteran injured in Operation Desert Storm, said several members of the girls’ program coaching staff have formed the One Goal — One Game Committee and are planning a fundraising dinner before the game and a silent auction at halftime to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project.
Britt Small, who is known as the musical voice of America’s veterans, has made a commitment to be there, Spahr said.
“All proceeds from the event will be donated to the nonprofit organization to support a full range of programs and services for severely injured members of the military and their families,” he said.
According to Spahr, the WWP’s mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. Thousands of American troops have been wounded in recent conflicts, he said, and many of them suffer from traumatic brain injuries, amputations and severe burns which may retire them from the military service.
“The committee’s goal is to raise not only funds for this organization, but also to raise awareness of the dangers faced by our military men and women on a daily basis,” he said.
Spahr noted that the fundraising committee consists of himself and fellow assistant coaches Rodney Suiter and Michelle Harker. He said the trio wants to raise enough money to help the WWP provide 40 special backpacks to injured soldiers arriving at military hospitals.
“The WWP backpacks contain essential care and comfort items like clothing, toiletries, calling card, CD player and playing cards, all designed to make their hospital stay more comfortable,” he said. “They are provided to severely wounded veterans arriving at military trauma centers.”
Spahr added that smaller versions of the backpacks — transitional care packs — are sent directly to Iraq and Afghanistan to provide immediate comfort during a warrior’s relocation to the U.S. Military Trauma Center.
“This event is very special to me because of my military service past,” he said. “But it’s also special to the girl athletes involved. They understand what it means to put on a uniform, represent others and fight for a cause.”
Harker said the Waldron players will be wearing special uniforms when they play Hauser on Nov. 20. Not only will they carry the school color, royal blue, but they also will be of camouflage design and will be sold in a silent auction to help raise money.
Plans call for the fundraising event to kick off with a pre-game dinner with guest speaker at the WHS cafeteria at 5 p.m. A combined dinner and game ticket costs $15, while children aged 10 and under can eat dinner and see the game for $10.
“The dinner will be provided by the Waldron Health and Rehab Center and McKay Manor,” Harker said. “Dinner tickets only cost $10, and only 200 will be sold, so they must be purchased in advance.”
Suiter, Spahr and Harker have met weekly since mid-July to help organize the fundraising event and have the support of school administration officials and head coach Brad Gossett. Harker noted that all three senior players, including Nicole Brand, Emily Wolf and Katie Dickerson, began coming up with ideas to help raise awareness and start collecting funds when they learned details about the upcoming event.
“I think we are so fortunate to have people in the military fighting for us and our freedoms,” Dickerson said. “We want everybody to come out, eat dinner, see the ballgame and root for the Lady Mohawks and help honor a military hero or two.”
For more information on the Wounded Warrior Project, visit Wounded Warrior Project - Home. To purchase dinner and game tickets, donate items or help sponsor the fundraising event on Nov. 30, contact Spahr at (317) 512-5033 or by e-mail at spahrclans@yahoo.com.
There's hope for our young people yet!
