Event to take place following the ninth annual Midsummer Classic Tournament
NORTHAMPTON—League Legends, a volunteer organization founded by graduates of Northampton High School to honor their late classmates David Holman and Miles Adams, will host an outdoor film screening of the 1990s classic film “Space Jam” on Saturday, July 23 at 8:30 p.m.
The screening will take place at the Robert K. Finn Ryan Road Elementary School, following the ninth annual Midsummer Classic Tournament from 1 to 8 p.m., which League Legends also presents.
“We’re very excited to have a new feature to add on to our already popular tournament,” said League Legends Organizer Michael O’Brien of the screening. “We’re hoping it allows us to gather a good crowd in the evening so that we can offer people a fun night out while also raising money for a great cause.”
As a part of the fundraiser, there will be food and drinks for sale all day and night, including hot dogs and hamburgers donated by Scotti's, popcorn donated by Florence Hardware, drinks donated by Pepsi and ice cream offered by Herrell's. The screening event is co-sponsored by NCTV Northampton community television, 94.3 FM and Citizen's Bank.
All are welcome to arrive early to watch the tournament and use the school’s playground equipment. Starting at 7 p.m., parking will be $10 per car. Both the movie night and the tournament will be held at Ryan Road Elementary School but may be moved to Northampton High School, depending on the weather. For event and weather updates, visit the organization’s Facebook page.
League Legends was initially organized by Northampton High School graduates Sam Caruso and Tim Kane in honor of their late classmates Holman and Adams. The tournament was created as a way to remember their basketball-loving friends and raise money for scholarship funds that had been started by their families.
Since it raised $200 at the first tournament in 2008, the Midsummer Classic has only grown, raising thousands and attracting professional players such as Ellis Cooper of England’s Manchester Magic, who played in 2015. It has also attracted more participants each year, growing from an original six teams to 16 teams.
This year, money raised through the tournament and film showing will fund the scholarships as well as a campaign to construct two adjacent and lighted community basketball courts at an undetermined location in Northampton, according to O’Brien.
O’Brien said that the nonprofit aims to raise $100,000 over the course of the next several years for the construction. He added that League Legends wants to create a space where children and teens can enjoy playing basketball both day and night.
The basketball tournament will run from 1 to 8 p.m., with a total of 16 teams. Teams can sign up at www.areyoualegend.org, and preference will be given to teams with six or more Northampton High School students and teams that participated last year. Each team will have six to nine players.
All ages and genders are invited to participate, and each player will receive a sports drink and five tickets in the event’s raffle. The cost is $135 per team. Teams are guaranteed to play at least four games, and the playoff will be single-elimination. The winning team will receive commemorative t-shirts and a $50 gift certificate to Papa Gino's.
Rick Gifford will act as the event’s emcee, with Tom Messinger, a basketball coach at the Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia, and a friend of Holman’s, acting as referee.
League Legends was recently confirmed as a federal tax exempt organization under tax code 501(c)(3).
For more information or to donate, visit www.areyoualegend.org or contact O’Brien at leaguelegendsinc@gmail.com.
Disclosure notice: Northampton Community Television, which operates Paradise City Press, is a partner in this event. This post was submitted by an independent writer.