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Thursday, January 25, 2006 By Dave Catalana For the past five years, The Olympic-Cape Challenge has given basketball fans in South Jersey one of the most action packed weekends of high-school basketball of the year. With twenty-eight of the best teams from the two best basketball conferences in South Jersey set to do battle at Timber Creek High School for fourteen great matchups. The challenge format of the event will pit teams from two of the best leagues in the state - The Olympic Conference and the Cape Atlantic League. Among the teams participating will be eleven of the top twenty teams in South Jersey, including some perennial state powerhouses. The listing of teams reads like a “who’s who” of New Jersey basketball: St. Augustine Prep, Camden Catholic, Middle Township, Woodrow Wilson, Atlantic City, Winslow Township, Holy Spirit, Shawnee, Egg Harbor Township, Lenape, Pleasantville and many more. As usual, the tournament will feature some of the best individual players and coaches in the state as well. This weekend of exciting basketball will also raise money to help the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in their fight against childhood cancers. The Olympic Cape Challenge is proud to be associated with the Shoot Down Cancer Foundation Inc. All proceeds from the event will be donated to this foundation and in turn be sent to the Oncology Division of Children’s Hospital. Since 1999, the SDC Foundation has contributed almost $150,000 to CHOP in their fight against Childhood Cancer. Everyone at Olympic-Cape Challenge and The Shoot Down Cancer Foundation is excited about the event this year. We hope that your organization will support us in this worthwhile endeavor. If you have questions, or would like to discuss your participation further, David Catalana 2921 Eagles Court The History of "Shoot Down Cancer Foundation" David and Beth Catalana started the “Shoot Down Cancer Foundation” in 1998 along with the Saint Augustine Prep boys basketball program. The Hermits Shoot Down Cancer Program, as it was known then, received pledges from individuals and corporations for every three-point shot made by the Hermit varsity basketball team during the year. In that first season, the Hermits made 140 three-point shots, and raised over $20,000. With season number two, the varsity managed 134 three-pointers, and another $13,000 in pledges. In 2001, the Shoot Down Cancer Foundation became a co-sponsor and the primary beneficiary of the Olympic-Cape Challenge. Through the generosity of our sponsors, teams and fans, the Challenge was able to generate $18,000 for the Foundation. 100% of all proceeds from this event go directly to the Foundation and in turn to CHOP. The 2002 Challenge, along with several other fundraising activities, helped raise another $20,000. The 2003 Challenge helped our donation to CHOP reach $22,000. In 2004, the OCC, along with another 3-point pledge drive by Sacred Heart High School, helped the SDC Foundation contribute another $22,000 to CHOP. Last year, the 5th Annual Olympic-Cape Challenge raised over $25,000 for CHOP. In seven years, the Shoot Down Cancer Foundation has donated almost $150,000 to the Oncology Division of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to help them in their fight against childhood cancers. This cause, and Children’s Hospital, is very personal issues to the Catalana’s. In December of 1995, their 15-month old son Garrett was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood cancer. For the better part of the next six months, the family spent much of their time at CHOP. Thanks to the efforts of the people at CHOP, Garrett was successfully treated and his cancer has been in remission since May of 1996. With the support of our tremendous sponsors and the success of The Olympic-Cape Challenge, The Shoot Down Cancer Foundation can continue their mission to provide funding to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to help in their fight against childhood cancers. The Shoot Down Cancer Foundation Inc. is registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization. |
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