Last week, Seneca High School finally hosted its annual highflying, action-packed basketball game with the Harlem Wizards after it was rescheduled due to Winter Storm Jonas in January.
The Wizards took on a team that consisted of teachers and students from Seneca, Tabernacle, Indian Mills and Chatsworth schools in this family fun event. The bleachers were filled from wall to wall, and the Wizards DJ had the fans on their feet the whole night.
The Harlem Wizards are a show basketball entity that puts on fundraiser events for schools and nonprofits. Last season, they played in more than 400 communities across the USA and raised more than $2 million.
The Wizards have three different teams stocked full of big-time talent that spend their time traveling around the country, interweaving acrobatic athletics with humor in a unique fashion.
The comedy, teacher/audience participation and spontaneity in the Seneca community setting makes way for a night to be treasured by all each year.
However, last week’s fundraiser was different than the ones in the past.
Each year, the Tabernacle Parent-Teacher Association collaborates with the Wizards to raise money for its organization. This was the third year being a part of the event and the third time it has been its largest fundraiser of the year.
The group was looking forward to the extra funds it would be bringing in until the tragic ATV crash on March 5 involving two eighth-grade girls from Tabernacle.
Leann Taylor and Ellie McCloskey were ejected from the vehicle, and despite wearing helmets, they were left in critical condition and airlifted to Cooper University Hospital.
As of last week, Taylor had just entered physical rehabilitation and McCloskey had regained consciousness from a self-induced coma on St. Patrick’s Day.
Though Craig acknowledged the progress the girls have made since the day of the crash, the Tabernacle community was shaken by the accident and left wondering what they could do to help the two families moving forward.
“When we heard about the crash, Jenn (Quartarone) pulled all of the officers together and said let’s help out,” Recording Secretary of the Tabernacle PTA Shelly Craig said. “Everyone was just in shock.”
Quartarone, president of the Tabernacle PTA, led the charge to create a fundraiser in which most of the proceeds would go to the McCloskey and Taylor families to help defray the overwhelming cost of the medical expenses incurred by the ATV accident.
Folks were given the opportunity to reserve a pregame meal, buy treats from the concession stand or enter a raffle to win a series of baskets or food from Upper Crust Pizza.
The PTA could not say enough about the job its president did putting everything together, as she ran around the event making sure everything was running smoothly.
Quartarone also kept the community up to date after the crash through Facebook posts to inform everyone of the status of the girls and to prevent any false information from being spread.
“Thank god for social media. I think that’s kind of how we all found out about it,” Craig said.
The outpouring of support was overwhelming and on display by all of the families and organizations in attendance.
“This was a great event and truly shows the tight knit community we have here in Tabernacle where everyone comes together in time of need,” said Peter Damiri, the PR director for the Tabernacle Athletic Association. “TAA was happy to do our small part and help promote the event to our parents and try to get as many people out as possible to raise funds for both families. The response has been amazing!”
