Checks totaling $3,000 were given out yesterday afternoon from this year’s annual Country Financial All Star Basketball Classic.
The check presentation ceremony was conducted in front of the Farm Bureau office on Tendick in Jacksonville. Brian Henry represented Country Financial at the ceremony.
The 38th annual All Star game was held at the JHS Bowl the final Friday of March.
One of the organizers, WLDS-WEAI general manager Gary Scott, says it’s a special year.
“This year’s All-Star game was special for a couple reasons. First and foremost, we were able to help, so to speak, one of our own. That’s Bill Poole, who’s fighting lung cancer right now. It was an easy call before we organized this year’s All-Star Game. We said we’re going to give a chunk of that money to Bill Poole. So, yesterday we were able to provide $2,000 to the Poole family for help in paying medical bills,” says Scott.
“In addition to that, we have $500 for Camp Courage, $500 for Camp Care-a-Lot, and in a really neat gesture, the Morgan County MADD chapter said, ‘Hey, take our $500, give it to the Poole family.’ So, a total of $3,000 handed out yesterday,” he adds.
Scott says the game also surpassed a milestone this year.
“The second reason this year is so special to us is that we have slipped past the $100,000 mark in the amount of money we have distributed. We’re averaging about $2,700 given away each year for the All-Star Game. So, it’s a community effort for those who support the All-Star Game in any way, and for those who attend, and particularly for those who play, we thank you very much,” he says.
John Hunter accepted the check on behalf of Camp Courage, and Scott, as a former board member, accepted on behalf of Camp Care A Lot.
Pool was accompanied by three of his children during the ceremony. He continues to undergo treatment for lung cancer, while coaching and teaching at Turner Junior High.