The 11th Annual Hoops from the Heart event was another great success with 150 inner city youth experiencing fun, food and fitness with top university athletes from U of W and U of M at the Duckworth Centre on May 29, 2019.
“This is just a great way for us to promote cardiac activity, let the kids interact with some of the athletes and coaches, and just have fun together in an environment they may not be exposed to otherwise,” said Dr. Grant Pierce, Executive Director St. Boniface Hospital Research, and a founding member of the group that first came up with the idea in 2008.
From small beginnings, the event has grown exponentially since it began working with the support of Basketball Manitoba and in coordination with Winnipeg’s Youth Alliance program. The result? Hoops from the Heart has now raised enough money to offer two, $20K basketball scholarships: one for the University of Winnipeg; and one for the University of Manitoba.
“It’s great to see the success of our fundraising efforts, but it’s even better knowing that over the past eleven years 1,000 kids have had a chance to see the inside of a university and maybe give them the idea that ‘hey, maybe I could come here too one day’,” Pierce added.
Participants watched a men’s and women’s basketball game, which included an all-star lineup from both Universities, including a handful of pros. Skills drills, t-shirts and a free basketball to take home, rounded out the evening for each of them. Many thanks to all the sponsors, especially Boston Pizza and The Clay Oven for donating the delicious eats!
