Bay Street Hoops is Celebrating its 20th Anniversary
March 20, 2014
Now in its 20th year, the 2014 Bay Street Hoops charity basketball tournament supports Special Olympics Ontario and KidSport Ontario to make sports more accessible to children and youth in Toronto.
Toronto, March 20, 2014 – It’s the height of March Madness, the Raptors are on a roll, and basketball is on many people’s minds. But it’s more than just the annual NCAA Final Four tournament and the upcoming playoffs. From April 3 – 5, more than 50 teams, made up of Bay Street lawyers, accountants, bankers and even police, will meet in a three-day basketball tournament that pits men’s and women’s teams from the city’s corporate realm against each other in a winners-take-all competition. It’s one of Toronto’s premier charity sports events.
“For a lot of participants it’s a great combination of their love for basketball and their love for doing good in the community,” explains Kevin Lowe, one of the tournament founders. “Our mission has always been to build basketball in the Toronto area, reach grassroots and get people involved.”
The tournament has several corporate sponsors that cover the administrative costs. Each team contributes $2,500 to register, which is donated to charity, and there’s a silent auction held during a post-game party. This year’s fundraising goal is $160,000. The money goes to charities that focus on children and youth.
In addition to the tournament held at the University of Toronto Athletic Centre, 55 Harbord St., there’s a kids’ basketball clinic on Saturday, April 5 at 1:15 p.m., and a post-game party at the Turf Lounge at 330 Bay Street for all players, sponsors and volunteers.
About the charities:
Special Olympics Ontario
specialolympicsontario.com
Special Olympics Ontario is part of a dynamic worldwide charitable organization dedicated to promoting a more active and better quality of life for people who have an intellectual disability, through their involvement in sport. It provides a chance for our over 18,000 athletes in Ontario with an intellectual disability to learn new skills, be active and engaged in their communities through sport.
KidSport Ontario
The KidSport mission is simple: to help overcome the financial barriers that exist in families so that all kids have the opportunity to participate in organized sports and experience the benefits of active living. This is accomplished by providing financial support for registration fees and/or equipment grants that go directly to families, helping keep sport accessible for all. Participation in the Bay Street Hoops tournament will enable hundreds of children across Toronto to be introduced to and play the sports they love.
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For more information, please visit: www.baystreethoops.com
Or contact:
Markus Stadelmann-Elder,
416-944-2627 ext. 284,
cell: 416-271-5654,
mselder@maytree.com
