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All abilities basketballers recieve $3000 boost

Posted on September 2, 2011

By VINNIE RODI

MILDURA’S All Abilities Basketball team will realise a dream in the coming weeks, when they compete at this year’s Victorian Special Olympic’s State Winter Games.

OLYMPICS-BOUND: The Mildura All Abilities Basketball team has received a $3000 boost ahead of its trip to the Victorian Special Olympics State Winter Games, with Tankard Dental, the Merbein Lions Club, and the Merbein RSL just some of the local businesses to come on board as sponsors.

A dream that has been realised thanks to the financial support of a number of local businesses and individuals – who have donated close to $3000 to the cause – the games – which will be held in Geelong on September 23 – will see all-ability sporting teams of all descriptions participate, with the ‘Mildura Basketball Team’ to be amongst those in attendance.

Regular readers of the Mildura Weekly will remember our story about Mildura’s newest sporting team, which appeared on July 8, 2011.

At the time team coach Mariae Piscioneri was putting the call out for financial aid, all in an effort to raise money to purchase official uniforms and team tracksuits, and cover the cost of travel and accommodation.

It’s a plea that didn’t go unanswered, with Tankard Dental Mildura and the Merbein Lions Club both donating more than $1000, and the Merbein RSL also chipping in $400.
Contributions that have left Mariae speechless.

“When Tankard Dental rang me and said they were going to give us more than $1200, I just burst into tears,” she said.

“It’s been incredible to receive the amount of support we have from locals, with this money to go a long way in helping these kids realise their goal to compete at a Special Olympics.

“The kids themselves have also been out raising money, and will also contribute a certain amount to the trip.

“While we need all the financial help we can get, we also want team members to take on a certain amount of individual responsibility for paying their own way.”

Tankard Dental receptionist, Bree Bailey, said it had been a staff effort to raise the funds.
“I originally saw the article in the Mildura Weekly, and immediately thought it was a great cause to support,” she said.

“The staff – which includes 55 full-timers – decided to hold a raffle, with all proceeds going to the team.”

Bree said she had contacted a number of local businesses – including Club Aquarius, Mildura Waves, the House of Golf, and Sumo Salad to name just a few – in an effort to purchase prizes for the raffle, with the response overwhelming

“The moment I told businesses what we were trying to do, they just donated their goods free of charge,” she said.

“It was wonderful, and meant that more money could go to the Mildura Basketball Team.”

The squad itself – which includes 11 students/clients of the Mildura Specialist School – will make the trip to Geelong, with the group currently hard at training.

Mariae said the team currently spent two nights a week training, while also making regular visits to Fit Mildura to take part in group fitness sessions.

“The guys are really determined to do well at the event,” she said. “We’ll keep training hard, and hopefully the results will come.

“This type of event is more about having fun and socialising with others, and I’m sure the guys will have a ball.”

The All-Abilities basketball program first began five years ago, with Mallee Sports Assembly and the Mildura Basketball Association helping to launch the initiative.

Mariae said the program had come a long way in that time, with more participants now engaging with the program on a weekly basis.

“When we started the program it was all about giving these kids a chance to participate in sport, make new friends, and generally enjoy a social and physical activity,” she said.

“However the improvement in each of these participants has been so great in the past few years, that the time seemed right to give them a chance to showcase their talents on the State, and maybe even national stage.”

Local businesses and individuals can still contribute to the team’s Special Olympic aspirations, with more information available by contacting Mariae on 0409 235 680.

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