Women of West Virginia Takin’ It to the Hoop

March Madness is upon us and basketball fans can’t get enough.  If your bracket is a bust and your team didn’t make it to the final four, don’t worry the season isn’t quite over.  The West Virginia Blazers will still be taking it to the hoop in an all-star event.  Almost Heaven Habitat for Humanity is partnering with Habitat for Humanity of West Virginia and the West Virginia Blazers to host the Slam Dunk 2011 Women Edition charity basketball game on Friday, April 1^st.

The West Virginia Blazers, the state’s only professional basketball team and part of the American Basketball Association, will play against the All-Star Women Build Team.  Coached by Jim Justice, owner of The Greenbrier and coach of the Greenbrier East High School girls basketball team, the team will be made up of women throughout the state including, Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe (Manager of the State Fair of West Virginia), Rudi Raynes-Kidder (West Virginia Sheriff’s Association), Natalie Tennant (West Virginia Secretary of State), Kristi Atha-Rader (Mrs. West Virginia International 2011), and members of GEHS’s girls basketball team, among others.

The West Virginia Blazers and Habitat for Humanity aspire to make this an annual event. The first Slam Dunk event, which took place last year in Jackson County, West Virginia, raised over $10,000 for the construction of the 600^th WV Habitat house.  All of the proceeds from the Slam Dunk 2011 event will go towards the construction of the Women Build house located in White Sulphur Springs.

“After playing in the Habitat for Humanity game at Ripley High School last year I was hoping I’d be asked to participate once again. I was elated when Habitat for Humanity West Virginia called me to bring my (average) basketball skills back to the court to help build another Habitat House. This is such a worthwhile program. The players have fun, the audience has some good laughs at our expense, and best of all, a lucky family receives a beautiful new home. Habitat, along with the West Virginia Blazers and other sponsors made this a tremendous experience last year and I expect nothing less this time in Greenbrier County!”  says Rudi Raynes-Kidder Executive Director of the West Virginia Sheriffs’ Association.

The Women Build 2011 is a joint venture between Habitat for Humanity of West Virginia and Almost Heaven Habitat for Humanity, and it will be the first Habitat home in Greenbrier County built by all women.  Almost Heaven Habitat for Humanity, which merged with Habitat for Humanity Greenbrier in July 2010, is partnering with a hard-working, local single mother of four children currently homeless to build a safe, decent, affordable house for her and her children.  The Women Build house is planned, funded, and built under the leadership of women. From framing the walls to installing the finishing trim, this house will be solely constructed by women from all across the state of West Virginia.

Along with the game activities, area businesses and organizations will be represented at vendor booths in the corridor area outside of the gymnasium. Additionally, 102.3 The Ticket radio station will broadcast live from the high school beginning at 5:00pm. The Slam Dunk 2011 Women Build Edition event will take place on Friday, April 1, 2011 at Greenbrier East High School. The doors will be open to the public beginning at 5:00pm and the game begins at 6:30pm. Tickets are $5 per person, children 5 and under get in free. Tickets may be purchased online at http://www.wvblazers.com/ or at the door prior to the game. For additional information, please call Almost Heaven Habitat for Humanity at 304-647-3342.

Almost Heaven Habitat for Humanity has served Eastern West Virginia for over 20 years providing safe, decent, affordable homes to hundreds of families.  To date the organization has built and sold 110 new homes and performed repairs on over 350 additional homes, all in partnership with low-income families in need, making their dream of homeownership a reality.  Habitat for Humanity partners with volunteers and low-income Partner Families to build or renovate houses that are then sold to the partner families at no profit, with no interest charged on the mortgage. 

The mission of Habitat for Humanity of West Virginia is to assist Habitat for Humanity affiliates with providing safe, decent, affordable housing for all West Virginia families in need.