Skip to content

Hoops help charities

The second annual Greater Vernon Alumni Basketball Tournament is Dec. 26 and 27 at Vernon Secondary School.
10227vernonkev-alumnihoops12-9
Mayor Akbal Mund (left)

Mayor Akbal Mund and Vernon School District superintendent Joe Rogers will be shooting for charity.

The second annual Greater Vernon Alumni Basketball Tournament is Dec. 26 and 27 at Vernon Secondary School at 5 p.m.

Mund and Rogers will go head-to-head at the Panther Pit in a shooting competition scheduled for halftime of the tournament’s championship game.

“They are both fierce competitors,” said Jeff Samuel, tournament organizer and VSS alumni.

“I watched them square off in dress shirts and dress shoes at a photo-op turned one-on-one game. I wouldn’t bet against either of these guys.”

Mund will be competing on behalf of Easter Seals Camps and Rogers for the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation.

Last year, the tournament featured 12 men’s teams from every school in the Vernon School District, as well as Pleasant Valley, raising nearly $2,000 for high school athletics and awarding a $500 scholarship to a deserving student — an athlete from Charles Bloom Secondary School.

This year, tournament organizers are hoping to have more men’s teams, and are also adding a women’s division.

They are also hoping to increase the amount they give back to the community this year and are asking for sponsorship to help them do so.

“We are trying to balance putting on a quality tournament while keeping it affordable for the players,” said Samuel.

“In order to do that, we are asking local sponsors to contribute to a gift basket that will be raffled off at the event, to help us cover some of our operating costs like hiring qualified referees.”

While the tournament is only in its second year, it’s already starting to gain support from local businesses – tournament organizers praising Kal Tire, Concept Physiotherapy, the Downtown Internet Lounge, Marble Slab, Brown’s Transport, Andre’s Electronics, Browns Socialhouse, Sport Chek, The Rice Box and Caufields Engraving, already on board to support the efforts of the small team of volunteers.

Potential sponsors can contact tournament organizers directly by e-mail at vernonalumnibasketball@gmail.com — or simply come out and cheer on the teams later this month.

Tournament registration is still open to Vernon School District alumni teams. Go to alumnibasketball.ca for details.