‘Wizards’ to headline Montgomery/Rocky Hill fundraiser

By: Jake Uitti
   MONTGOMERY — The Montgomery Township/Rocky Hill Municipal Alliance and Youth Services Commission will be holding its annual fundraiser 7 p.m. Oct. 19.
   The Harlem Wizards, a professional trick basketball team, will headline the event.
   The Wizards will play against members of the township police department, firefighters, township officials and other local residents, Alliance Chairwoman Vokaye Parker said.
   "It is going to be a basketball exhibition game with The Harlem Wizards, an internationally renowned basketball team," she said. "They do trick basketball, such as ally-oops and extraordinary passes. Six or seven of their players are going to play against Montgomery teams made up of police officers, firefighters and more."
   The event will be held at Montgomery High School.
   Admission is $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at the middle schools and the high school, as well as at the Otto Kaufman Community Center.
   Seniors are also encouraged to attend. Senior tickets are $5 in advance and $8 at the door. Children under age 5 are free.
   The Alliance is a group that identifies both children and adults who may be at risk for substance abuse. The Alliance receives $18,000 a year from state grants and another $5,000 from county grants.
   The Alliance is charged with raising another $6,000 in cash or other non-monetary donations, including personnel and meeting facilities as a condition of receiving the grants, said Township Committeewoman Cecilia Birge, the committee’s liaison to the alliance.
   The Alliance will use the money it receives to help achieve its goals of identifying both young people and adults who may be at risk for substance abuse, Ms. Parker said. The money will also go toward funding programs like "Girls On the Run" and "Red Ribbon Month," as well as talks and seminars for township residents.
   "We target a wide net of people including seniors, younger individuals and older individuals because we don’t see any one particular population as being any more at risk than another," Ms. Parker said.
   She added, "This basketball fundraiser is a great opportunity for the whole town to get together. It is an opportunity to interact with the community and have a lot of fun. Most of the time we interact on a more serious note, but this event should be a lot of fun."