Game raises money to aid student Ryan McKee
By:Mary Ellen Zangara
A special basketball game was played March 3 at Manville High School. It wasn’t a tournament or state game, it was a benefit fund-raiser for Ryan McKee, a 12-year-old Alexander Batcho Intermediate School student diagnosed with leukemia.
The second annual ABIS and Roosevelt student-vs.-faculty basketball game was a night of fun for all who attended.
The year before, the faculty won 51-43 and the students of the ABIS basketball teams hoped to have a chance to claim a victory this year. It was a tough game, but the faculty once again triumphed and won the game 72-63.
Sponsored by the ABIS and Roosevelt School PTAs, the game was used as a fund-raiser last year, with all proceeds going to help Ryan this year.
"It all started out as a fund-raiser and when Ryan got really sick, they decided to change it over to a benefit for him," said Stacey Forke of Roosevelt School.
"It was for Ryan, it was for a great cause," ABIS PTA president Debbie Gregor said. "We had lots of help and the staff has been great."
"Last year, we had a benefit for the schools but this year we changed it for a benefit for Ryan because that’s what the staff wanted to do," Jody Lubas said, adding the idea came from fifth-grade teacher Greg Shannon. "It was a lot to put together but with the staff working together, in the different buildings, they were able to keep in touch with everyone and keep them involved.
"All the proceeds, everything is going to Ryan," she said.
More than 525 tickets were sold at $3 each, and with refreshments and other events, the total amount raised reached $2,000.
Many were involved in the benefit game parents and staff helped with the refreshments and admission, the MHS cheerleaders shared their spirit by dividing to support each of the basketball teams, and the Mustang mascot helped get the crowd cheering.
Many students and parents came to watch their teachers and principals dribble down the court, as volunteer officials for the game Bill Liebiedz and Lou Nordone kept everyone playing fair.
ABIS principal James Brunn played on the faculty team and was glad to have the opportunity to help one of his students.
"First of all we are soundly going to defeat the students but this is for the best cause that I know of our buddy Ryan McKee whom we love dearly," Dr. Brunn said. "We want to see him get well soon so we can play him one-on-one."
Joining Dr. Brunn on the faculty team were ABIS staff James Avallone, Nick Belmonte, Erin Delaney, Maggie Panageas, Patty Poto, and Valerie Yurinko. From Roosevelt School were Kelly Barton, Lisa Harrity, Linda Liebiedz, Jenn Pisano, Kyle Rehrig, Greg Shannon and principal Fred Volpi.
Sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students played on the team against their teachers with their gym teacher Larry Blasi as their coach. Jessenia Aguilar, Samantha Aichele, Tiffany Aldea, Juliana Andrade, Mike Bezick, Amanda Covert, Matt Coppola, Lisa Daniel, Billy Demeter, Jon Duke, Kathy Kontos, Billy Mileham, Rhianna Lebedz, Paul Maziarz, Craig McLure, Dana Mortensen, Danny Pierrot, Brian Rock, Lucy Yakobchuk, Travis Williams, Lindsay Zaccardi and Matthew Zangara all gave the staff a workout trying to keep up with the youngsters.
The staff team was tough and Mr. Rehrig was the top scorer with 21 points followed by Mr. Shannon (19), Dr. Brunn (9), Mr. Avallone (8), Ms. Delaney (7), Ms. Barton (6) and Ms. Panageas (2).
For the students, Mike Bezick scored the most points, adding 14 points for the team. Matt Coppola, Jon and Craig all scored 7 points, Billy added 6, Jessenia, Brian and Lindsay added 4 each, Travis and Matthew Zangara both gave their team another 3 points, and Samantha and Dana chipped in 2 points each.
It was a game of fun and a chance for all the players to show off their skills. Ms. Yurinko came out to play because she really likes to play basketball and against the kids she’s had in class. For her, it was a good way to get together with the students and staff and have some fun while raising the money for Ryan. She was one of his teachers last year. Ms. Harrity was also having fun on the court. She doesn’t play basketball but usually sits in the stands with the cheerleaders during the games because she is one of their coaches.
Another benefit fund-raiser is already being planned in a few months. A softball game with faculty vs. faculty is in the works for either May or June, Ms. Lubas said.
"We are looking for a two-day series hopefully having four teams, one from each school, and we’ll have a mini-world series in softball," she said. "Some of them are excited and they already have their teams together."