Student Government Association adds new facets to annual basketball marathon

By Frank Visco and Max Orenstein
Collegian Editor and Senior Staff Writer
April 2, 2008

Over 30 student organizations participated in the Student Government Association’s annual 24 hour basketball marathon at the Hayman Center this past weekend in an attempt to raise $10,000 for the American Cancer Society.

According to junior finance major Nick Cherchio, the chairman of the basketball marathon, SGA does not yet have an exact count of how much was raised because budget transfers from a variety of organizations have not gone through. However, Cherchio did say that over $3000 was raised at the event itself from donations and the sale of food and merchandise.

“It went well,” Cherchio said. “It exceeded my expectations.”

In addition to student organizations, SGA received donations from various staff and faculty members, as well as alumni. They also convinced Citizens Bank, Piny Grove Baptist Church, and ShopRite to sponsor the event, which kept cost down to around $2,500.

Last year SGA began charging for food in an attempt to raise additional funds, and, having reached a level of success in doing so, they continued to sell food this year. In addition, SGA sold shirts and raffle tickets for the first time this year.

“Nobody’s complained to us about the charges,” Cherchio said. “They’re pretty reasonable prices and it’s all going to charity, and so people seem OK with it.”

Besides merchandise, SGA also added a new entertainment element to the marathon. While two courts were designated as game courts, the far right one was occupied by two inflatable games, an American Gladiator-inspired jousting arena and a bouncy boxing ring.

“They didn’t bring as much people as I had hoped, and they were kind of hidden all the way in the corner,” Cherchio said. “However, people seemed to enjoy them.”

Cherchio made sure to note one other change of which he was particularly proud.

“Over the last year or two, the chairman has taken on a lot of the work and done a lot of things on his own,” he said. “This year we took more of a team approach, with everybody doing their own part and doing it well. I was proud to see that happen.”

SGA president Jon Webster agreed.

“I think it went very well,” Webster said. “I’m very proud of the way SGA ran it. I think that everyone who showed up had a great time.”

The marathon began Friday at 3 p.m., and, according to Webster, there was a steady flow of basketball until the early hours of Saturday morning. Although there were no games scheduled from 4 to 10 a.m., Webster said the organizers remained in the Hayman Center “in case anyone wanted to stop by and play.”

In general, students indicated they were pleased with the marathon.

“It was fun and you didn’t just have to play basketball,” freshman communication major Jason Bodman said. “There was moon bounce boxing and jousting, so it was fun no matter what you were doing.”

“It was fun in general, but knowing it was for a good cause made it an even better time,” freshman nursing major Alyssa Blieler said.

viscof1@lasalle.edu and orensteinm1@lasalle.edu