FOXBURG, Pa. (EYT) — The Allegheny-Clarion Valley Boys’ Basketball Boosters raised over $2,500.00 in donations over the holiday season for veterans at Butler VA Hospital.

(Photos: the A-C Valley High School boys’ basketball team and their parents visited the veterans at the Butler VA Hospital on Christmas Day 2018. Courtesy of Andrew Rapp.)

The A-C Valley Boys’ Basketball Boosters utilized its Hoops for Heroes Crossover Challenge, that was hosted at A-C Valley High School on December 7 and December 8, as a way to collect comfort items and cash donations for veterans.

This year’s Hoops for Heroes Crossover Challenge featured Karns City, Portersville Christian, North East (Erie, PA), and A-C Valley basketball teams.

Before, during, and after the event, the A-C Valley Boys’ Basketball Boosters, including both the players and parents, collected comfort items and cash donations for the hospitalized veterans residing at the Butler Veterans Affairs (VA) Facility in Butler, Pa.

The Karns City Boys’ Basketball Team and the Karns City Gremlin Roundball Club contributed over $250.00 in comfort items, spearheaded by Karns City Point Guard Chase Beighley. The Karns City Roundball Club also purchased over 20 Hoops For Heroes shirts, with the proceeds going toward the cause.

Portersville Christian players and fans also contributed by purchasing Hoops For Heroes shirts.

The North East Boys’ Basketball Boosters donated over $200.00 in gift cards which allowed the A-C Valley Boys’ Boosters to purchase comfort items for the veterans’ gift bags.

Jay Clover, an A-C Valley Jr. High basketball player, personally raised approximately $180.00 on his own for the veterans. Jay, a 7th grader at A-C Valley, is the son of Michelle and John Clover of Turkey City, Pa.

The 2018 Hoops For Heroes Crossover Challenge raised over $,2500.00 worth of comfort items and cash donations that allowed the Basketball Boosters and players to fill a large gift bag full of many comfort items for each of the 60 veterans at the Butler VA (Veterans Affairs) Hospital.

On Christmas Day, A-C Valley team members and family members visited the disabled veterans to deliver the items and donations collected.

A-C Valley Coach Andrew Rapp told exploreVenango.com, “The players and parents visited each veteran, wished them Merry Christmas, and thanked them for their service to our country.”

Mr. Jack Demotte, owner of DeMans Team Sports, was also a partner in the campaign.

“DeMans Team Sports designs, screen prints, and delivers the popular Hoops For Heroes Shirts at cost. That allows us to take the proceeds of the shirt sales and put forward to the cause,” Rapp explained.

This is the third year straight year that the A-C Valley Boys’ Basketball Program reached out to local veterans on Christmas Day at the Butler VA Hospital.

In a previous interview, Rapp said the program does the visits because it sets a goal to have at least one team community service project every year.