Basketball Game Pits Police Against High Schoolers

Members of Brick's Police Union take on township high school students for the 23rd annual "Helping Hands Benefit Basketball Game".

The game is put on each year, pitting local police against members of the Green Dragon Football Team. Patrolman Richard Nelson says even though players from the P.B.A are getting older and high school players seem to be getting younger and younger, It's all for a good cause.

Nelson says "We do the benefit every year. Each year it's a different recipient. We look for a local child in town and/or family that are in dire need of medical issues, financial issues, the child is sick"

This year the union chose the family of 5-year-old Mikaela Magner who suffers from a rare and extreme form of Epilepsy, known as Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. Nelson says on any given day, Mikaela can have from 50 to 100 seizures. He says Mikaela's Mom is single and is unable to work because of her daughter's need for 24-hour care.

Nelson says fundraising efforts for the event actually begin long before they step on to the court. He says the local A&P will be letting them set up a donation table and a local T.G.I Fridays will be doing a bar comp.

The game takes place on March 22nd at the Brick Township High School East Gym on Friday at 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance, $3.00 per adult and $2.00 per student.

Nelson says the P.B.A. would like to ask you and your organization to dig deep into your hearts and show your generosity by contributing in any way possible. Donations can be sent to the PBA Local 230, P.O. Box 1067, Brick, NJ 08723, c/o Officer Richard Nelson, Jr. Checks can be made payable to the "Helping Hands Fund".

He says they're trying to exceed last year's fundraising total of $31,000.