3 Ball4Good Volunteers Receive Watson-Brown Scholarship

3 Ball4Good Volunteers Receive  Watson-Brown Scholarship

Congratulations to Ball4Good Grants Committee Chair Karine Nguyen, Grants Committee member Emily Grace Cobourn, and volunteer Florian Sloan on receiving the prestigious Watson-Brown Scholarship.

“The primary mission of the Watson-Brown Foundation is providing need and merit-based scholarships to select Georgia and South Carolina students attending accredited four-year colleges and universities in the United States.” -WatsonBrown.Org

Ball4Good Watson-Browns will be attending the following institutions:

University of Richmond – Karine Nguyen

University of Virginia – Emily Grace Coburn

Washington and Lee University – Florian Sloan

Learn more about the Watson-Brown Foundation here.

Soccer Players Play for a Good Cause

The blue team was on a roll. The goals kept coming. Upward Star Center and Dorman JV Coach – Charles Blue dived to his left to avoid being scored on. The teams were ready for a serious game.

John Rhoden of Spartanburg High School was hungry for some goals.

Serge Nkoth and Michael Bayiha of Dorman High School were dynamic.

Serge was the star on the field.

Hill Mitchell and Kaif Surka of Spartanburg Day School defended the ball, but their Varsity teammate Adom Appiah had switched on them. He had been recruited by the blue team.

Varsity basketball player, Patrick Bonna of Charlotte based Crossovers for Christ was glad to be back on the soccer field.

Spartanburg Day’s Coach Graham Brewer was on fire. Although his team lost, he ended the game with a beautiful penalty kick.

A great afternoon to support 4 area nonprofits. The Ball4Good soccer game was a fun recreational afternoon for a good cause. Volunteers cheered as their favorite players run with the ball. The afternoon was a success.

Representatives from the Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas, Tyger River Children’s Center, Center for Youth Justice and Sidewalk Hope, were on hand to receive grants to support the youth.

Together, the team raised $7,500 for the nonprofits.

Members of the Ball4Good Grants Committee presented the checks to the nonprofits. The nonprofits had the opportunity to share their mission with the players.

An afternoon of soccer for a worthy cause. Thanks to Coaches Nick Buxton, Graham Brewer, Charles Blue, Ball4Good Founder -Adom Appiah and Vice President – Maxwell Booker for recruiting the players for the game.

Check out a few pictures below:

Team Ball4Good Presents Check to Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas

Thanks for helping us host a successful Kicks4Cancer event. With the help of coaches and players from Dorman, Spartanburg High, Spartanburg Day and our local teams, we raised over $1,700 for kids battling cancer in the Carolinas! We like to Ball4Good!

b4good kicksClick here for Kicks4Cancer pictures.

Kicks4Cancer to Benefit Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas

In commemoration of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, residents of the Carolinas will be playing in a soccer game to benefit families living with cancer. With the help of Coaches Nick Buxton, Kendell Reyes, Josh Eskew and Charles Blue of Spartanburg schools, the game has been scheduled for 4pm on Sunday, September 29th at the Upward Star Center. All the proceeds from this event will benefit Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas. Tickets are $10 per person. You may buy tickets or donate at Eventbrite or at the gate. The game will be on Turf 1. Please come out and support!

You may purchase your tickets or donate to the cause here!

kicks4real

Ball4Good to Hold Third Annual Celebrity Basketball Games

SPARTANBURG – The third annual Ball4Good Celebrity Games will be held Sunday, April 28, 2019, from 3:00-5:00pm at Spartanburg Day School.  This event will feature Spartanburg celebrities playing in action-packed basketball games to raise money for local nonprofits. Along with the Spartanburg celebrities, former Michigan State University player and the first athlete with autism to play Big 10 basketball, Anthony Ianni, will be on the roster.  

“Having Anthony here in Spartanburg and playing in the Ball4Good Celebrity Games is an incredible opportunity for people to learn more about autism and the effects of bullying in school,” says Adom Appiah, founder of Ball4Good and ninth-grader at Spartanburg Day School.  

Ianni’s involvement in the Celebrity Games is not by accident.  The event’s proceeds will support Project HOPE Foundation, an organization that serves families and individuals with autism in Spartanburg County and across the Upstate.  Ianni now travels the country speaking to student groups about bullying and overcoming autism.

“Anthony’s mission aligns perfectly with Project HOPE Foundation, and we are happy to support our local autism community through this organization,” Appiah continues.

Founded in 1997 by moms looking for services for their young sons with autism, Project HOPE Foundation offers programs that benefit not only the child affected with autism but also the entire family, all of whom are forever changed by this diagnosis.  Project HOPE Foundation provides a lifespan of services for the autism community, through programs that Help families, Open minds, Promote inclusion and Expand potential. The organization provides individualized services to a broad range of people across ages, across the spectrum of autism, and across programs (ABA therapy, classroom options, adult employment, social groups, life skills, community outreach, and professional trainings).  

“We are honored and grateful to be this year’s Ball4Good grant recipient,” said Lisa Lane, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Project HOPE Foundation. “This gift will help us grow Printed by HOPE, the t-shirt printing business we’ve started to help our young adults gain valuable job skills.”

In addition to granting to Project HOPE, Ball4Good will recognize three additional nonprofits during this year’s Celebrity Games: Sidewalk Hope, Citizen Scholars Institute, and Brothers Restoring Urban Hope (BRUH Mentor).  

Nine student representatives from across Spartanburg County coordinated the grants selection process. Several students and adult volunteers are part of the event planning team.

“It is so inspiring that Ball4Good has raised so much money and awareness by connecting people’s love for sports with the needs in our community. Being able to be a part of this process and choose a foundation in need of the grant has been truly amazing,” says Liza Webster, a middle school representative on the Ball4Good Grants Committee.

“Working with Ball4Good provided a great opportunity to learn about various organizations in our community that serve children and how philanthropy can help in those efforts,” says Maxwell Booker, a 9th grade student at Spartanburg High School and Ball4Good Grants Committee member.

Spartanburg High School 10th grader and Ball4Good committee member Will Beeson adds, “I’ve been lucky to be a part of Ball4Good and I am excited to see what good the organization will continue to do for our community.”

The Ball4Good Celebrity Games is a collaboration between Ball4Good, Southeastern Paper, The Spartanburg County Foundation, City of Spartanburg, Spartanburg schools, and several community leaders.  Tickets to the Celebrity Basketball Games are $10 and can be purchased online at www.ball4good.org.

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Founded by Adom Appiah, Ball4Good is a 501(c)(3) organization supporting the community and other nonprofits through sports.  Ball4Good began as a school project during the fall of 2016. Mrs. Kelsea Turner of Spartanburg Day School inspired her students to dedicate 20% of history period to a service project. Mrs. Turner called the project 20Time. Ball4Good is a result of Adom’s 7th grade 20Time project.

b4good 2019 flyer

Ball4Good Announces 2019 Celebrity Games Grant Finalists!

The Ball4Good Grants Committee is happy to announce that four nonprofits have been selected as finalists for the Basketball Celebrity Game funds. The committee reviewed 17 grant applications from November through December of 2018. Founded in the fall of 2016, Ball4Good has to date assisted 12 organizations. Past recipients of the Celebrity Game grants are:

2017 Recipient- Boys and Girls Club

2018 Recipient – Children’s Advocacy Center

2018 Finalists – Miracle Hill, Girl Scouts & Boys and Girls Club

The 2019 finalists are:

Project Hope FoundationProvides a lifespan of services to the autism community.

Citizen ScholarsProvides disadvantaged youth, through mentoring and program support, with the life skills, knowledge, and character development needed to obtain college scholarships, complete college, and become contributing citizens.

Sidewalk Hope: Impacts the lives of inner-city children through the hope of Jesus Christ.

BRUH Mentor: Restoring the urban community through mentorship, leadership, training and spiritual guidance.

Students will be voting for the grant recipient during the month of January. Congratulations to our four finalists!

The following schools were represented on the Grants Committee:

Boiling Springs High School

Dorman High School

J.L. Mann Academy

Oakbrook Preparatory

Spartanburg Day School

Spartanburg High School

Thank you to the Spartanburg County Foundation and AKBOA Consulting for guiding us throughout the process.

The Ball4Good Celebrity Basketball Games will be held on Sunday April 28, 2019. Thank you for your continued support.

For sponsorship and donation opportunities, please contact info@ball4good.org.

Welcome the 2019 Celebrity Game Grants Committee!

Ball4Good is happy to announce the addition of 8 student leaders to the Celebrity Games Grants Committee. These student leaders have shown a passion and commitment to their community. They are excited to play a vital role at Ball4Good.

Our leaders are:

Rex Bingham – Dorman

Emily Campbell – Boiling Springs

Maxwell Booker – Spartan High

Will Beeson – Spartan High

Charity Metcalf – J.L. Mann

Liza Webster – Spartanburg Day

Adom Appiah – Spartanburg Day

Christopher Henderson – Oakbrook

Karine Nguyen – Spartanburg Day

We will be sharing individual profiles of our student leaders in the coming weeks.

Zion Williamson Day in Spartanburg!

April 22

In recognition of Spartanburg Day student and Duke Commit Zion Williamson’s service to the city of Spartanburg, the city honored Zion with a proclamation at the Ball4Good Celebrity Basketball game. The proclamation was read by city councilman Max Hyde of the Hyde Law Firm. Ned Page – President of the Spartanburg Day Board of Trustees and Mary Thomas – Chief Operating Officer of the Spartanburg County Foundation were present during the ceremony. From this day forth, April 22nd shall be known as Zion Williamson day in Spartanburg! In addition to the proclamation, Zion received a framed photo highlighting the stats of his high school basketball career. The photo was curated by Chris Jones. Ball4Good honored Zion with a #12 jersey and a hoodie.

 

Photography by Jeremiah Drummond and Hill Mitchell

Children’s Advocacy Center Named Grant Recipient for Ball4Good Celebrity Games!

We are happy to announce that the Children’s Advocacy Center has been chosen as the recipient of the Ball4Good Celebrity Game funds. The Center’s mission is to help children speak up about abuse and heal from it. The executive director, Mrs. Suzy Cole is busy preparing for her celebrity basketball debut on game day!

Three other organizations were named finalists and will be honored at the games. These organizations are the Boys and Girls Club of the Upstate, Girl Scouts and Miracle Hill Ministries.

Event tickets are scheduled to go on sale on March 20th, 2018. The event will be held on April 22nd. Several local celebrities have signed up to play, coach or cheer. The list includes, former NFL and WNBA stars, CEOs, community leaders, college presidents, coaches, the nation’s number one high school power forward, high school standouts and many more.

The event is made possible by the Spartanburg County Foundation, Sports Medicine Institute, SunTrust Bank, Spartanburg Day School, Carolina Alliance Bank, Spartanburg Nephrology Associates and Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Miller.

It’s going to be a fun afternoon!

 

Ball4Good Announces Grant Finalists

We are happy to announce that four nonprofits have been selected as finalists for the Celebrity Game funds. These nonprofits received the most votes during the Spartanburg Day School 20Time fair. During the fair, students voted for several nonprofits in the area. The finalists are:

Boys and Girls Club – An outcome-driven youth development program that serves
over 1,300 Upstate children every day after school throughout the school year and over 600 all day in the summer.

Children Advocacy Center – The Children’s Advocacy Center wants each Spartanburg child to grow up with a sense of dignity and self-worth. That’s why it is their mission to help children speak up about abuse and heal from it.

Girl Scouts – Unleashes the G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-Taker, Leader) in every girl, preparing her for a lifetime of leadership. This one-of- a-kind program is time-tested and research-backed and prepares girls to take the lead in their own lives and in the world.

Miracle Hill – Provides food, shelter, and compassion to residents of Spartanburg County.  Many men and women have been able to rebuild their lives and become productive members of the community once again.

Thank you to the Spartanburg County Foundation for its guidance throughout the process.

The Ball4Good Celebrity Games is possible with sponsorship and support from the following:

Event Partner: Spartanburg County Foundation

Hoops Partner: Spartanburg Day School

Gold Sponsorship (All Day): Sports Medicine Institute, SunTrust Bank and Mr. Billy Webster & Family

Silver Sponsorship (Buckets): Spartanburg Nephrology Associates, Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Miller and  Carolina Alliance Bank

Bronze Sponsorship (Bring the House Down): Ms. Loreta Dylgjeri

Voting is underway to select the recipient(s). Stay tuned!