Support This Year’s Games with Concession Donations, Admissions, Raffle Tickets & an Exciting Three-Point Contest!
It’s almost time for the 2012 Fundraiser Games! Next Saturday, the Cheyenne River Youth Project® will once again host a special community basketball tournament in the Cokata Wiconi Teen Center gymnasium to raise much-needed funds for youth programming, services and operations. The Games are scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. and will feature teams comprising a variety of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe’s First Responders.
According to Tammy Granados, CRYP’s wellness coordinator and the event organizer, the not-for-profit youth project is seeking support from many sources this year. To start, CRYP needs items for the concession stand.
“We need baked goods, beverages, anything that would be appropriate for a concession stand,” Granados said. “We’re also encouraging people to buy advance admission tickets. Because this is a fundraising tournament, tickets will be $4 a piece before the event and $6 apiece at the door.
“They can buy raffle tickets in advance as well,” she continued. “We’d also like to remind them that, for a $5 entry fee, they can participate in a Three-Point Shoot-Out and compete for prizes. But confirm your place soon, because we only have 15 slots!”
All proceeds from ticket sales, shoot-out entry fees and concessions will benefit the youth project.
CRYP has invited a wide variety of tribal and community programs and agencies to participate in this year’s Fundraiser Games, including local law enforcement’s police and detention officers, local ambulance services, Head Start, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe’s Fitness Center, the CRST Youth Diabetes Prevention program and Lakota Thrifty Mart.
The youth project will open its doors at 12 p.m. Guests will enjoy music and concessions, and if they haven’t done so in advance, they may purchase tickets to win a variety of raffle prizes.
Staff will welcome teams and spectators to the Games at 1 p.m. with a short presentation, team introductions and a prayer. The tournament’s first round will officially kick off at 1:30 p.m.; its structure is single elimination with eight-minute halves. CRYP will have two flip scoreboards for score keeping, and community and youth volunteers will serve as referees.
The staff will host a half-court shootout for prizes, and youth basketball participants will provide additional halftime entertainment. CRYP plans to invite local youth dance groups to perform at halftime as well.
Granados said she expects the tournament’s first round to conclude by 5:30 p.m., at which point CRYP will conduct a special honoring ceremony and community feed for the teen interns in its Power of Four program and the teen volunteers in its Youth Leaders in Service program. Then, at 6:15 p.m., it will be time for the Three-Point Shoot-Out, with 15 available slots and three shooting stations.
The second round of the Games will begin at approximately 6:45 p.m. At the evening’s end, the youth project will make its closing remarks and announce the total amount raised through ticket sales and concessions.
Granados said she hopes this year’s Games will raise $2,000 to support the youth project, but all staff members acknowledge that the event’s greatest purpose is not a financial one.
“While fundraisers are important, the Fundraiser Games are more special than most because they bring an entire community together in support of its children,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “The Cheyenne River Youth Project has been a fixture in the lives of Cheyenne River children for nearly a quarter century, and every dollar we raise together helps ensure that it will be here for the next generation. The Fundraiser Games are all about unity, community spirit and friendly competition for a worthy cause.”
Community members who wish to contribute to this year’s Fundraiser Games may stop by the CRYP office in Eagle Butte to drop off concession items, purchase advance tickets and sign up for the Three-Point Shoot-Out. Supporters also can mail checks to CRYP at P.O. Box 410, East Lincoln Street, Eagle Butte, SD 57625. Or, simply visit the website at www.lakotayouth.org, click "Help CRYP" and select "Monetary Donations."
To learn more about the Cheyenne River Youth Project® and its programs, and for information about making donations and volunteering, call (605) 964-8200 or visit www.lakotayouth.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, visit the youth project’s Facebook “Cause” page. All Cause members will receive regular updates through Facebook.
The Cheyenne River Youth Project®, founded in 1988, is a grassroots, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing the youth of the Cheyenne River reservation with access to a vibrant and secure future through a wide variety of culturally sensitive and enduring programs, projects and facilities that ensure strong, self-sufficient families and communities.