The Scranton gym was colored red and white all over and reawakened with the most fans in a long time (fans literally came out of the woodwork, in spades so to speak); excited players, giving hearts everywhere, and posters painted with “BELIEVE TOGETHER” and “GIVING HEARTS NIGHT” hung throughout the building. On Friday evening, January 26th, West River Health Services Foundation, the fundraising arm for West River Health Services and Western Horizons Living Centers, along with their gracious and loyal partners Dakota Western Bank, Scranton Equity, Next Door Pizza, West Plains Inc., Kim Erickson Agency, Slope Electric Cooperative and Graphic Attic, hosted their “Giving Hearts Night with the Nighthawks & Eagles” at the Scranton School Gymnasium. It was SRO -- Standing Room Only; as Varsity, Junior Varsity, and “C” squad, boys' basketball teams from Hettinger-Scranton and South Heart squared off in the adrenaline-fueled Scranton gymnasium.
Most fans arrived early to guarantee a seat! It was hot and sticky with the capacity crowd inside the Nighthawks Nest. Admission was complimentary via longtime partner Dakota Western Bank. Plus, in Dakota Western fashion, their Scranton Branch staff was there in red, ready to greet you at the door. In addition, the popcorn was Free, thanks to the local Scranton pizzeria, Next Door Pizza. All of the t-shirts and polos were donated to the players and coaches from both teams (including statisticians, student managers, and 5th/6th grade players), by Scranton Equity, West Plains Inc., Kim Erickson Agency, and Graphic Attic.
Most of the fans came sporting RED for Giving Hearts Night! Some had pants full of colorful hearts. Others sported red shirts from previous events. If not, we had new red t-shirts available at the greeting table for a gift of $50 or more to our WRHS Foundation, with “commUNITY, Together We Win” on the front of the shirts. The general hope was that local fans might consider paying forward $10 or more to their local 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, WRHS Foundation, for their sixth Annual “Giving Hearts Day” fundraiser on February 8th. This is the largest online fundraiser in the state of ND and western MN. Over the last five years, the WRHS Foundation has raised nearly $1.5 million leading into Giving Hearts Day. Every $10 or more gift counts for GHD, via check to “WRHSF” with “Giving Hearts Day” written in the memo section or via credit card online at givingheartsday.org, then search “West River.”
The “C” teams battled throughout their contest, with the Eagles winning in a close game by seven. At halftime, the Hettinger-Scranton 4th/5th graders stormed the court dribbling their new red and white basketballs (brought in special for the occasion) and wearing their new red and white Giving Hearts t-shirts. Based on their all-out hustle, skills, and eagerness to compete, it appears that we could have a terrific team in a few years. Some of them sure looked big for 5th graders! Of course, tall aint all!
The JV game was a lively contest, with South Heart sneaking out a narrow two-point victory. The contest went right down to the wire, with both teams having a chance to win! Again, the 4th/5th grade boys “hustled on the hardwood” for ten minutes. We’re guessing they all slept well Friday night. As did we all!
Between the JV and Varsity games, guest auctioneer Mark Zimmerman conducted a Live Auction for five seats on a “Comfy Couch” at halfcourt on the stage. The bidding was fierce and resulted in five seats being sold for an all-time high total of $1,200! Special thanks to Kathy Kennedy, Fred Parnow, Anne Gruber, Dr. Josh Dr. Carrie Ranum, and Sheri Uecker for placing the winning bids. We hope you enjoyed the unending concessions from our guest waiter for the evening. However, you were able to eat all of those tacos in a bag, hotdogs, candy, popcorn, water, and pop was amazing! Next time, we’ll shoot for two couches so you’re not compressed like sardines!
The Varsity contest was lopsided in the home team Nighthawks' favor, as they displayed a more physical and spirited performance than ever before. Possibly the excitement and hype with all of the fans and hoopla got our players more pumped up to really perform. No matter, they sure were hitting on all cylinders. And they’re kind of on a roll!
Which led right into our “Slope Electric Cooperative Free-throws for Pledges Shootout” at halftime. For weeks leading into the contest, fans from around the world had the opportunity to pledge gifts for made or attempted free throws by three former area greats and two current high school stars. Some gave flat total dollar pledges by an individual or all five participants. By halftime Friday night, we had received 95 pledges totaling a possible $14,595 raised (if the shooters made all 40 of 40 free throws attempted).
First up was Owen Stuber, a senior leader of the South Heart Eagles team. He shocked the world and made all five of his free throws, including the fifth Moneyball (which counted for two points), giving him a total of 6 points! This is the first time in Giving Hearts Night we’ve had an individual make all of his/her shots. His partner, Maddox Pierce, Hettinger-Scranton’s senior all-around athlete, made three of five but hit the money ball to score 4 points. As “Team Madd-O,” they accounted for 10 of 10! This is also the first time in “Giving Hearts Night” history we’ve had a perfect score for ten shots!
Next up were the former area stars. Dustin Honeyman looked really comfortable in his home gym, coming back home as a former star Miner forward in the mid-90s and growing up as a Reeder Rocket only 10 miles away. He swished 7 of 10, but the money ball went in and out! Brandon Pierce, former Nighthawks star and now the Assistant Coach, started out pretty good, but also couldn’t get the money ball to go down. In fact, Brandon had quite a few tough ins and outs, ending with 5 of 10. Bill Butterfield, the two-time All-Stater and part of Hettinger’s State Championship Team in ’83, hit 4 of 10. It’s not easy being out there all alone! But how nice of all of these men to shoot free throws, to help us raise a few dollars for our local healthcare system? Next time, we’ll shoot at the north-end bucket!
Overall, it was a lot of fun! We hope fans, players, and coaches enjoyed this Giving Hearts Night. We are grateful for our sponsors and our local communities. We, at the WRHS Foundation, are still hoping that everyone considers a $10 or more gift to our cause, between now and February 8th. It only takes a $10 check or a $10 online gift at givingheartsday.org. Together we can keep improving our top-quality healthcare “close to home.” Onward to New England on Thursday, February 1st, 4:00 pm, for “Giving Hearts Night with the Tigers & Nighthawks” girls' basketball game in New England. We hope the fans come out in spades again – with their giving hearts. We know our youth with be giving their all for their communities. Ted Uecker, FDO