The Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation’s Valley Hometown Fund is holding an alumni basketball game in March with the hopes of raising money to establish an endowment fund.

The Valley Hometown Fund was created by Tippecanoe Valley graduates with the mission of connecting alumni with their schools and hometowns in support of education and community development.

“We are seeking to establish an endowment with the Fulton County Community Foundation that will enable us to award grants annually for projects that benefit the students and residents of the Tippecanoe Valley area,” said TVSC Superintendent Brett Boggs.

The Valley Hometown Fund will host two basketball games in the Tippecanoe Valley High School gymnasium on Thursday, March 8. The first game will begin at 6:30 p.m. and feature teams of local firefighters and Tippecanoe Valley staff members. The second game will begin at 7:45 p.m. and feature teams of Tippecanoe Valley alumni from 1998-2007 and 2008-2017. Doors will open to the public beginning at 6 p.m.

The basketball games will consist of 10-minute running clock quarters, 10-minute halftimes. Former Tippecanoe Valley basketball standouts David Lash, Rebekah Parker, Trey Eaton, Shane Drudge, Caylie Teel, Steven Tillman and Nick Kindig will be some of the players on the alumni teams.

There will be a 15-minute intermission between the games that will feature a presentation from previous Valley Hometown Fund grant recipients. Interviews will be conducted by Micah Lukens, a TVHS graduate and current Burket Educational Center instructor. Rita Price from WRSW-FM in Warsaw will be the emcee for the night.

Concessions will be available in the commons area including hot dogs and ice cream from The Igloo Ice Cream Shop in Silver Lake. The evening will include the announcement of the winner of the Mr./Ms. Basketball Contest and a 50/50 or cake raffle will also be held.

There is no charge for admission to the games, but donations will be collected at the door. All funds will be used to support the activities of the Valley Hometown Fund.

Donations to the Valley Hometown Fund throughout the year allow it to award grants to projects and organizations that benefit Tippecanoe Valley students and the residents of the communities within the school district. Four school and community projects were awarded a total of $4,000 in funding at a Valley Hometown Fund grantmaking event held on March 21, 2017. Another grantmaking event is planned for this fall.

Here are the rosters for the teams:

Team 1 – Valley Personnel

#3 Chelsea Brubaker

#10 Jon Ekhoff

#20 Anthony Newcomer

#22 Scott Finney

#23 Shawn Shepherd

#32 Andrew Luce

#40 Adam Miller

#42 Kyle Ritchey

#44 Kylene Crabb

#50 Cory Cooper

 

Team 2 – Firemen

John Gagnon – Akron

Cody Hudson – Akron

Corbin Hudson – Akron

Wes Backus – Akron

Jake Gearhart – Akron

Ren Zent – Rochester

TJ DuBois – Rochester

Mike Doran – Rochester

Greg Brazo – Burket

Morgan Brazo – Burket

Kyle Miller – Burket

Dave O’Brien – Burket

Shade Kenney – Burket

 

Team 3 – Legends (1998-2007 grads)

#20 John Gibson

#24 Dax Snyder

#30 Chelsy Rhoades-Parker

#34 David Lash

#40 JayDee Parker

#42 Rebekah Parker

#44 Craig Kuhn

#50 Trey Eaton

#52 Adam Nelson

#54 Shane Drudge

 

Team 4 – Young Guns (2008-2017 grads)

#6 Jarred Littlejohn

#10 Ben Shriver

#14 Caylie Teel

#20 Cara Hoffman

#22 Keith Wright

#24 Shane Salyer

#30 Steven Tillman

#32 Nick Kindig

#40 Jacob Ritchey

#54 Jeff Tillman

 

Below are the grants awarded by the Valley Hometown Fund so far. The organization has awarded a total of $9,500 in grants to school and community groups.

March 2017 ($4,000 Awarded)

• Fulton County Leadership Academy Group – $1,025 for Picnic Shelter at Akron’s Cutshall Park
• Akron Fourth Grade Teacher Chris Rassi – $650 to Purchase Graphic Novels for Classroom
• Tippecanoe Valley High School’s T’s Boutique – $950 to Purchase a Closet Organizing System, Rolling Garment Racks, Bi-fold Doors with Mirrors for Changing Area, a Garment Steamer, and an Area Rug
• Jack & Jill Preschool – $1,375 to Purchase Furniture for their New Classroom at the Burket Educational Center

April 2016 ($3,000 Awarded)

• Mentone Elementary School Leveled Library – $450 for Leveled Books
• Mill Creek Missionary Church – $250 for Tippecanoe Valley Miracle Tree
• Akron Park Board – $458 for Paw Print Park
• TVHS Special Education Prom Fund – $934 for TVHS Special Education Prom
• TVHS Young Entrepreneurs Club – $583 for TVHS Young Entrepreneurs Club
• Akron Elementary Kindergarten Program – $325 for Choice Time Materials/Equipment

May 2013 ($2,500 Awarded)

• Akron Youth League – $440 for Lighting & Facility Needs
• Tippecanoe Valley Boomerang Backpacks – $350
• TVHS American Studies Class – $710 for Fourth Grade Pioneer Day & Prill School Visits
• Helping Hands – $550
• Tippecanoe Valley Literacy Framework Committee – $450 for Little Free Libraries

MAKE A DONATION:

To make a donation to the Valley Hometown Fund, visit the Northern Indiana Community Foundation website or make a check payable to:

Northern Indiana Community Foundation

715 Main Street   P.O. Box 807

Rochester, IN 46975

*Be sure to put “Valley Hometown Fund” in the notes section.

FOLLOW VALLEY HOMETOWN FUND:

For updates, follow the Valley Hometown Fund on Facebook.