Burn Center Volunteers:
Volleyball Marathon For A Good Cause

Sunday, February 22, 1998

By Art Redd
SJSports Staff Writer

The Burn Center Volunteers of South Jersey were holding their 22nd Annual Volleyball Marathon at Kilmer Elementary School in Cherry Hill. For the past twenty-one years, nearly 200 teams have participated in this marathon and this year would not be any different. Each team who participated in the Jo Hires 48 Hour Volleyball Marathon would make a donation to reserve playing time on the volleyball court and keep the ball in play for two consecutive days. The marathon started at 7:00 AM on Saturday and continued non-stop until 7:00 PM Sunday evening.

The whole purpose of this tournament was to again raise the awareness of support for the Burn Foundation. The Burn Center Volunteers of South Jersey, organized in 1975, supports and expands on the work of the burn treatment centers at St. Agnes Medical Center, Crozer-Chester Medical Center and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Each week members of the group drive to these centers to visit with the patients being treated in the specialized burn units. Volunteers would assist burn center staff with routine tasks, freeing the professionals to spend more time with the critically-ill patients in their care.

In February, under the direction of member Jo Anne Hires since 1977, the group organized the 48 hour marathon with two volleyball courts set up in the multi-purpose room of Kilmer Elementary School. Normally, the marathon is held during the President's Day weekend. This year it was held the weekend after and many teams still showed up. The teams who participate are from fire companies, emergency response organizations, local schools, hospitals, social organizations and businesses throughout the area. It is a meaningful way of expressing your caring and help those who greatly appreciate it.