POCATELLO – Police officers and firefighters will face off in a “basketball showdown” on Saturday to raise money for a charitable cause.
The Hoops and Heroes charity basketball game is at 7 p.m.in the “Pit” gym at Pocatello High School, 325 N. Arthur Ave. The Facebook page for the event describes it as “a basketball showdown between the Pocatello Firefighters and Pocatello Police.”
“For the police officers that get the opportunity to participate … it’s a lot of fun,” said Pocatello Police Sgt. Justin Vae’ena.
Tickets to the game go for $7 for adults, $5 for students, and children age 3 and under get in free.
All money raised by ticket sales will be donated to benefit the community.
“All of those funds are for the community that we are lucky enough to be able to provide (for),” Vae’ena said.
The proceeds of the basketball game will be donated to Our Gathering Place, an after-school children and youth ministry run by the Trinity Episcopal Church.
“Our Gathering Place provides healthy snacks, a pool table, a foosball table and an air hockey table. OGP offers a number of programs throughout the school year, including dental health checkups and how to prepare a full meal for the family,” reads the ministry’s description on the church’s website.
And Vae’ena said the game benefits the wider community beyond just the money it raises.
“We get the opportunity to not only raise money … to help the community, but we get to do it in a way that bonds the different first responder agencies,” he said.
When police officers and firefighters compete with one another, they do so in a way that builds cooperation and trust between the two departments, Vae’ena said.
“We get to see each other in a different light than just at work,” he said, and build those relationships through healthy competition.”
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