Braden River High Key Club hits courts for charity

MANATEE COUNTY — Braden River High School student athletes Marc Medina and Casey Davis aren’t normally found on the volleyball court, but this weekend, they’ll be helping to volley hard and score big charity.

They and the Braden River High School Key Club will host a Sandbox Volleyball Tournament fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 10. Registration costs $65 per team of up to six players, and teams must be registered by 5 p.m. March 9.

Proceeds from the event will benefit The ELIMINATE Project, a collaboration between Kiwanis International and UNICEF to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus, a painful disease that kills nearly 60,000 newborns annually.

“Anybody can play,” Davis said, noting there are several teachers from Braden River competing in the double-elimination style tournament. “You can be in middle school. You can be in college.”

The public is welcome to attend the tournament, because festivities will involve plenty of crowd participation.

“There’s going to be music (by Braden River High student and disc jockey Marshall Jackson) and food and donation buckets going around,” Davis said, adding there also will be contests for guests and other activities. “It’s going to be a great time. Eighties beach invasion is the theme.”

Davis agreed: “It’s going to be fun to watch. It’s an opportunity to see something different.”

Registration for the event runs through 5 p.m. March 9, at which time registration forms must be submitted to him at the school, Medina said.

Medina said sponsorships of the event, as well as a grant, are covering about $1,100 in expenses for renting the park for the tournament, as well as for the printing of T-shirts.

Medina said students settled on a volleyball fundraiser for The ELIMINATE Project after considering the past success of Braden River High’s Volley Boys competition, and of other sports-related fundraisers at schools.

“We saw that Bayshore (High School) has their ultimate Frisbee (fundraiser),” Medina said. “What attracts people most is going to be sports event.”

For information, visit http://brhskeyclub.weebly.com/sandbox-volleyball-tournament.html

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

Sandbox Volleyball Tournament
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 10
WHERE: Bee Ridge Park, 4430 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota
REGISTRATION: Cost is $65 per team. Must register by 5 p.m. March 9. Forms available at http://brhskeyclub.weebly.com/sandbox-volleyball-tournament.html. Completed forms can be turned in to teacher Jenni McNally at Braden River High, 6545 S.R. 70 E., by March 9.
INFORMATION: Marc Medina or Casey Davis, 932-2411 or 773-9009