| Uhlenkott
exceeds goal with senior project fundraiser
I recently held a Hoops for Troops Basketball Tournament in Cottonwood, Idaho for my senior project. 
The state of Idaho requires each student to complete a senior project before
graduation, and I wanted my project to be something that would allow me
to give back to my community. I feel that our veterans are all too
often under appreciated and I wanted to do something in recognition of
all the sacrifices that our military men and women make for us. So,
I decided to put together a 5 & 6th grade basketball tournament and
give all of the proceeds to a charity called Hope for the Warriors.
I chose this charity because it’s one of the top veteran charities where
most of the funds go directly to helping our veterans and their families
get back on their feet. When I set out to start this project, I had no
idea I would walk away with so much gratitude, humility, and appreciation.
I found a community that gave back more than I could have ever imagined!
Our projects require mentors to help guide and advise us through our project. Dave Shears and Becky Higgins were the best mentors I could have asked for. With their help and guidance, I was able to find eighteen 5th & 6th grade boys & girls basketball teams from the surrounding area that came to participate. Dave and Becky gave me great advice, pointers, and a lot of their valuable time which was greatly appreciated. I reached out to several of our local businesses for sponsorship; the generosity and encouragement I received was unbelievable! Their generous donations helped to cover tournament costs and helped make success possible. Furthermore, I had countless refs, score clock, gate, and concession workers who all volunteered their time. Without these volunteers, I could not have ran this tournament or brought in the amount of proceeds that I did. I never truly understood the amount of work and dedication that it takes to run a tournament this size. Another important part of this tournament for me was making sure the kids who played understood and took a moment to appreciate our veterans. I was able to hold an opening ceremony where Trinity Martinez sang our national anthem. She did a beautiful job. I also took a few moments to recognize the veterans that were present, and I gave a small presentation on the Hope for the Warriors charity. A “Playing like a Hero” award was given to those who demonstrated bravery, strength, and humility; traits found in our military men and woman. My goal was to have our nation’s heroes be on everyone’s minds throughout the weekend. I wanted each kid to understand who they were playing for, and the role they had in giving back to this amazing cause. Tournament winners were the Lady Dogs of Grangeville in the 5th grade girl’s bracket and the Prairie Pirates won the 6th grade girls bracket. Kamiah 5th grade boys won the boys 5th grade division and the Grangeville Bulldogs won the 6th grade boys division. Hero awards went to kids from Cottonwood, CV, Timberline, Lewiston, and Grangeville. Planning this tournament, I was hoping to raise $5,000. With the unbelievable support I received from everyone, I was able to surpass my goal and raise $6,600 for Hope for the Warriors. I also realized how lucky I am to live in the community I do. I cannot thank everyone enough for their generosity of time, money, and participation. While I cannot name everyone individually, I would like to extend a special thanks to the following: *My mentors, Dave Shears & Becky Higgins-I was so lucky to have you *My main tournament sponsors: Live Wire Electric, Brett Uhlenkott Drilling, and Advanced Welding & Steel *My business sponsors: St. Mary’s Hospital & Clinics, Gradient Shift, Fasteners, RJB Wholesale, Harman Agency, Idaho Forest Group, CHS Primeland, Camas Prairie Mini Storage, Bud’s Powersports, Pacific Cabinets, Avista, Joe Forsmann & Associates, Cottonwood Community Credit Union, Seubert Excavators, Wilkinson Orthodontics, Lockett Transportation, Inland Cellular, and Lindsley’s Home Furnishings *My parents and family who gladly helped with everything I asked of them. *All the incredible volunteers---my referees, score clock operators, gate keepers, concession workers, set up and clean up crews. *Prairie School Districts for allowing us to use the gyms *All the players, coaches, and parents of everyone who came and participated in my tournament. Thank you for everything. All of you made this tournament a huge success! Abbie Uhlenkott |
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