August 25, 2008

Team signup under way for Gus Macker basketball tourney

September event helps feed children, build homes

Aerial view of the 2006
Gus Macker event
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Organizers include the Lafayette Rotary Club and the Purdue University Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter.

"This is a fun, competitive event for kids to adults," said Tom Moran, leader of the Rotary effort. "Teams are placed in brackets in which they will be most competitive. Age groups begin at under10, and no one is too old to play. This is a great opportunity to spend the weekend with your friends and show off your game, all while helping us raise critical funds for local charities."

Just as they did last year when the event raised $33,000, the proceeds will build a Habitat for Humanity home and will support a new program to feed Miami Elementary School students on the weekends. Rotary this fall will begin its Backpacks for Kids program, buying food from Food Finders Inc. and filling backpacks for 80 Miami students each Friday, providing food when school is not in session.

The tournament, which will be held at St. Elizabeth Medical Center, costs $116 per team. The three groups hope to attract 400-500 teams – as many as 2,000 players plus their families and friends. To sign up, visit the Gus Macker Web site at https://www.macker.com/mackertown/Lafayette_IN/  or OurTown.com at https://lafayettewestlafayettein.ourtown.com/ . The deadline for online registration is Sept. 8.

Registration forms also are available at Arni's. Mailed registration forms must be postmarked by Sept. 5.

Basham Rentals, the presenting sponsor, contributed $20,000. Major sponsors include Arni's; Burkhart Advertising Inc.; F.C. Tucker Co. Realtors; Hoffman, Luhman and Masson; Lafayette Real Estate Marketing Corp.; Mar-Jean Village; University Book Store; and Wal-Mart. Media sponsors include the Lafayette Journal and Courier and WLFI-TV. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available and range from $116 to sponsor a team to $500 to sponsor a court to higher levels.

"Sponsors makes the event possible," Moran said. "Rotary, Rotaract and the Purdue Habitat Chapter handle the organization and provide the peoplepower."

This is the third year that the Lafayette Rotary Club, which has 230 members, and the Purdue Habitat Chapter, which has 300 members, have partnered to organize the local Gus Macker tournament. Dan Guildenbecher, a graduate student in mechanical engineering from Carmel, Ind., leads participation of Purdue Habitat.

"We are one of the largest student groups on campus," Guildenbecher said. "We are encouraging all Boilermakers to sign up for Gus Macker, which will support very worthwhile community projects as well as provide a weekend full of competitive fun."

Writer: Jeanne Norberg: (765) 491-1460, jnorberg@purdue.edu

Sources: Tom Moran: (765) 538-2185, tom@tctc.com

Dan Guildenbecher: (7) 5-404-5370, dguilden@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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