At Hooplandia, the Northeast’s Ultimate 3x3 Basketball Tourney + Festival, a love for basketball meets a commitment to community impact. On Wednesday, April 2, the Hooplandia team presented the Boys & Girls Clubs of Westfield and West Springfield with a $1,000 check on our home court, located at Eastern States Exposition (ESE) in West Springfield, Mass.
Bo Sullivan of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield and Dan D’Angelo of the West Springfield Boys & Girls Club visited the ESE complex, the home of Hooplandia, to receive their donations. They were greeted by ESE President and CEO Gene Cassidy, as well as Tim Garstka, ESE’s Director of Sales, and Sam Roberts, Hooplandia Event Coordinator.
“We’re always trying to create new opportunities for kids to do something positive,” D’Angelo shared, reflecting on the partnership. “This, from the get-go, has been very positive. This has proven yet another avenue for the kids to be with their friends and socialize with so many other youths in the area that they would not ordinarily meet.”
Sullivan added, “My kids really look forward to this because they play hoop all winter long, so they want to continue playing. We rally them in the winter and make teams so they can play here in the summer. It works perfect to allow the kids in our club to keep playing basketball all year round.”
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Mass. is to enable all young people, especially those who need them most, to realize their full potential as responsible, productive and caring citizens. An extension of the national not-for-profit, their initiatives offer academic support as well as character building and citizenship programs that advance social skills, encourage a sense of responsibility and offer opportunities for community involvement.
During its inaugural year, Hooplandia selected the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Mass. as their philanthropic partner due to the organization’s mutual commitment to uplifting youth within the immediate region. Hooplandia doesn’t just aim for the net; the event’s mission is to bring players of all kinds together to celebrate their mutual love of the game and build up the community. Giving back gives this tourney its backbone—and a reason to keep hanging more backboards each year.
Want to help Hooplandia make a difference, one basket at a time? Consider registering your pick-up or pro team or volunteering at Hooplandia.com. Advance discount team registration is available for a limited time, now through May 26, so there’s no better time to get your name on the roster.