Throughout his coaching career, UAFS men's basketball coach Josh Newman has made it a point to emphasize to his players the importance of helping others and giving back to the community, especially when if it involves children's causes.
The UAFS men's and women's basketball teams will team up on Monday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. for intrasquad scrimmages at Charleston High School's Tiger Center to support the fundraising efforts of the Maggie House, a long term facility for abused and neglected children located in Charleston.
Admission is free, but donations will be accepted with all proceeds going to benefit the Maggie House.
"It's for a great cause. Anytime we can use our basketball team to help a program generate some interest, that's something we want to do, especially when it's for children," Newman said. "Children are very important to our program with our annual Toy Toss and our book reading programs. This allows us just one more opportunity to make a difference."
UAFS women's basketball coach Louis Whorton is a Hartford native and coached at neighboring Subiaco and County Line high schools before becoming the Lady Lions coach in 1986. The River Valley are is near and dear to his heart, and Whorton said he and his players are excited about the opportunity to help such a worthy cause.
"The Maggie House is a great thing. We can go showcase our teams in front of a great sports town like Charleston, and we are really looking forward to it. The fact that maybe we can help them raise a little money and raise awareness for the Maggie House makes it even better," Whorton said. "We are very appreciative of the people of Charleston inviting us down there to do it."
The Lady Lions will open the event, which is expected to last about 1 ½ hours. After a 10-minute warm-up period, the team will split into two squads and play a 20-minute game.
Following their game, representatives with the Maggie House will give a brief presentation on the current crisis the area is facing due to the lack of foster care homes for abused and neglected children and discuss the Maggie House.
At the conclusion of the presentation, the Lions will take the court. Following a 10-minute warm-up period, the team will split into two squads and play a 20-minute game.
Following the scrimmage, UAFS players and coaches will be on hand to meet and greet fans and sign autographs, too.
The Maggie House is scheduled to open in December and will serve a seven-county area that includes Sebastian, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Yell, Logan and Scott counties. There are four separate cottages, and each cottage will function as an individual home for eight or nine children. The average number of children in residence for all four cottages is estimated to be 33.
The Maggie House staff will provide a family atmosphere and structure. House parents will be employed to serve as surrogate parents for the children, and children will attend public schools.
The Maggie House is a division of Family Ministries, which was established in Greeneville, Tenn., in 1939. Family Ministries also has owned and operated the Florence Crittenton Home in Little Rock since 2004. This home also serves abused and neglected children.
