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We'll begin the festivities at the park's basketball courts at 10
a.m., and the day will last until 4 p.m. The tournament is free for
all, and all players will receive free T-shirts and back-to-school
supplies. A local DJ will be spinning music, free food and drink will
be provided, and for those with a sweet tooth, Ben and Jerry's will be
there with 500 scoops of ice cream.
The winners of each age
division will win brand-new bikes from Big Shark Bicycles; runners-up
will receive free passes to Six Flags, and 3rd place
finishers will receive gift certificates for everything ranging from
clothes to CDs to oil changes. The age divisions are as follows: 10
and under, 11-13, 14-16, and 17 and up. If you want to sign up, just
click here.
(And if you're over 6'6", call today
so I can get you on my team. Obviously, I'll need some help in the
paint.)
The other component of the event is the expansive Community Fair.
Twenty-five local organizations plan to participate, including:
· Derrty Entertainment, operated
by St. Louis rapper Nelly, will be handing out backpacks and school
supplies for children;
· the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment, which will help
people find promising work;
· the City Health Department, to educate on prevention of STDs and
lead poisoning;
· the City Fire Department, which will conduct screenings for blood
pressure, cholesterol, and glucose;
· the Literacy Round Table, Literacy Investment For Tomorrow (LIFT),
First Book, Reach Out to Read, and the Missouri Humanities Council,
which will provide children's books and promote reading programs;
· the Childcare Resource and Referral Program, which will help
families find child care, nutrition services, lead remediation, and
other support services; and
· the Missouri Optometric
Association, which will be providing free vision screenings.
Many other organizations will participate, including the Scholarship
Foundation of St. Louis, Better Family Life, the Child Daycare
Association of St. Louis, the People's Health Center, Parents as
Teachers, the Child Guidance Center, the Citizens Service Bureau, the
NAACP, the Poison Control Center, Operation Brightside, St. Louis Safe
Kids, ADAPT of Missouri, and the City Public Library. It should be a
great opportunity to familiarize ourselves with an array of wonderful
services that can really make a difference in our lives - and to watch
some good basketball, too.
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