Eaglette alumni game to benefit Boys and Girls Club

In a story about the Boys & Girls Club of Bedford County, it was stated that the organization wanted to raise $175,000 for its first three years of operation. Organizers clarified today that the figure is $175,000 per year for each of the first three years. The Times-Gazette is happy to clarify this point.

Organizers of the proposed Boys and Girls Club of Bedford County hope their inaugural Eaglette Alumni Basketball Game, to be played Saturday at Shelbyville Central High School, will be both a fund-raiser and a tool for raising public awareness of the program, which hopes to begin operations next summer.

More than 50 former Shelbyville girls' basketball players, including seven members of the 1989 national championship squad, are expected for the event, according to Boys and Girls Club board member Jennifer Jarrell. Players are expected from teams as far back as the 1930s.

Two different alumni games will be played: one using the full-court rules now in effect, and another using the old half-court rules which were once standard for girls' basketball, with each team fielding three defense-only players at one end of the court and three offense-only players at the other end. In addition to the alumni games, there will be two games featuring fifth and sixth grade travel teams from local schools: Shelbyville will face Community, while Liberty will square off against Cascade.

Jarrell said she feels there's a correlation between the heritage of the Eaglette basketball teams, with so many state championships, and the youth programming done by Boys and Girls Clubs.

"A sense of belonging is so important to the life of a child," said Jarrell, whether it comes from a sports team or from a club or youth program.

Boys and Girls Clubs provide youth programming in five areas:

* Character and leadership

* Education and career

* Health and life skills

* The arts

* Sports, fitness and recreation

No child is ever turned away from the program based on inability to pay.

Jarrell said the group is hoping to raise $175,000 to sustain the program for its first three years of operation, and that local businesses and individuals have been supportive.

"We've gained momentum," she said.

The club hopes to operate in the county-owned, city-leased Central Memorial Gym on Elm Street, at the former Harris Middle School / Central High School property.

Tickets for Saturday's game are $5 for adults and children over 5, with all proceeds going to the Boys & Girls Club. Advance tickets are available at Bedford Pharmacy, Bob Parks Realty, FirstBank, First Community Bank, New Covenant Christian Bookstore, People's Bank and Regions Bank. Tickets also will be available at the door.