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Mount Mercy Gives Back to Those Who Have Served
by cnewman

It's a special night, with a special meaning.
When Mount Mercy
Academy and Buffalo Seminary take to the floor at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan.
23, at Mount Mercy Academy, the game will take on a different meaning.
That's
because Mount Mercy and Buffalo Seminary will be playing for more than
just a win on this night. They will be playing for all those who have
served this country - past and present during the first Mercy's Heroes
basketball game.
All proceeds from the game will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.
The
Wounded Warrior Project is to honor and empower wounded warriors. Its
vision is to foster the most successful, well-adjusted, generation of
wounded warriors in our nation's history. The purpose of the WWP is to
raise awareness and to enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured
service members; to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist
each other; and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet
their needs.
For the Mount Mercy basketball team being able to give back in this way is a special honor and one they didn't want to pass up.
"I
think this is a really great opportunity," stated Mount Mercy senior
Marissa Stack. "It is really something great and Mercy is really
stepping up. And, I really think it is going to be a big success."
It
also has a special meaning for a lot of young ladies on the team as
some of their family members served in the military at one point or
another.
"My grandfather served in the Navy," said Mount Mercy's
Lee Haggerty. "So, to be able to give back to the people that have
served our country, it feels good. And, that is one of the hallmarks of
our Mercy education - community service and giving back to out
community. So, I am excited to playing in it and I think our team is
going to do very well."
When approached about the event, Mount
Mercy coach John Glose didn't hesitate in giving it the green light. For
him, this is a once and a lifetime opportunity the school and the
community couldn't pass up.
"We are very excited here at Mount
Mercy, especially my basketball players," sated Glose. "This came quick
to us and we are ready to go. This is a great cause that we are raising
money for and everybody is excited."
Since announcing the initial
plans back in October, the buzz is the community has been fantastic.
People have come up to Glose and the team asking how they can help. The
community has backed Mount Mercy, Buffalo Seminary and the Wounded
Warrior Project from the very beginning.
"South Buffalo is a
tightknit community," Glose said. "They are always willing to help each
other out and everybody we have reached out to has been able to help us
and that is outstanding. It just shows what a tightknit community this
is."
The team hopes they can sell out Mount Mercy Academy (the
gym holds roughly 200 people). Playing in front of more than 200 people
will be a little nerve racking in the beginning, but something the teams
says they will get used to.
"I think it is going to be really
exciting," stated Stack. "Just the entire atmosphere with the gym being
so packed is going to be so much to play in. It will be great for
everyone to see how much support of these warriors have."
Events
will be planned for the night of the game. Mount Mercy Academy will wear
special camouflage jerseys for the event. Each jersey will have a
saying on the back of them, like Duty, Honor, Country, Freedom or
Service.
The school will also be selling Wounded Warrior Project
wristbands. There are only 50 wristbands - so get them while supplies
last. Wristbands will be $5 with all the proceeds going to the WWP.
Maritime Charter School has also volunteered to send in a Color Guard
for the national anthem and will also have students stay for the game.
"I
know a lot of the girls have been talking about the game and we are
doing a few different things at school to help raise more awareness
about it," stated Haggerty. "I think it will be a great community event
and something that we can do year after year."
Admission for the event is $5 and it will include a program. Refreshments will also be served.
If
you would like to donate to the Mercy's Heroes basketball game, click here.
You can also get to the site by visiting the Mercy website. There you will see a few different options.