More than 80 UW-Madison community members attended Saturday's basketball tournament at the Southeast Recreational Facility to support the City of Chicago as a candidate for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Teaming up with the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Club, student ambassadors for Students Support Chicago 2016 organized the tournament to raise money for the USA Special Olympics.
The Venture Capital Club helps students on campus get a jump-start in creating their own businesses and provides investment opportunities for creative business ideas. Like the Special Olympics, the club prides itself on providing opportunities that might otherwise not be available to individuals.
Zachary Ellman, a student volunteer for Chicago 2016 and president of the Venture Capital Club, said a basketball tournament seemed like a perfect event to raise awareness.
Brett Robbins, a student ambassador and club member, said the benefiting organizations and sponsors are either rooted in athletic competition or helping others succeed, making the tournament an ideal alternative to traditional fundraising activities.
SERF regulars Nick Weisnicht, Bennett Lang, Chase Kieler and Matt Atkinson were crowned champions after four intense games. Most teams stayed to watch the athletes achieve their 21-15 victory, earning them an opportunity to practice with the Badger men's basketball team.
Like the student ambassadors, the participants also saw the event as an excellent opportunity to benefit a great cause and show their support for Chicago in its bid for the 2016 Olympics.
Kieler, who heard about the tournament through a campus e-mail, said the tournament gave him ""a nice break from homework on a Saturday and a great opportunity to get involved with causes [he] might not otherwise have been involved with.""
After two hours of intense competition and $300 in proceeds, the tournament proved to be a success. Students and participants alike were able to enjoy themselves while simultaneously raising awareness and furthering a unique cause.
For more information on how to get involved with Students Support Chicago 2016, visit www.chicago2016.org/volunteer.aspx.
