Bigger Than Basketball

Pandora - Each December the members of the boys and girls basketball team at Pandora-Gilboa come together for something greater than a sport. These players, along with coaches collect donations to go to Dayton Children's Hospital as a part of the Red Wagon Campaign.

The Red Wagon Campaign is a "service project for schools, teams, and civic groups to collect wagons and toys for local Children’s Hospitals." This year the local teams and community organizations participating are Minster schools, Pandora-Gilboa schools, The Looking Glass Salon and Spa, Westy's Signature Flooring, Minster Dental, and the Miss Ohio Volunteer Pageant. 

The "Red Wagon" is more than just a part of the name and symbol for the organization. These red wagons are used to take children from room to room within the hospital. Last year the organization donated over 30 wagons, each filled to the brim with toys.

Pandora-Gilboa joined in this group of organizations and schools when head coach Mike Lee took over the program five years ago. Since then, the Red Wagon Campaign has been a yearly tradition within the school.

This year, each teams two captains: seniors Ciel Wise, Devin Draper, and Matt Maag along with junior Camden Verhoff took over the initiative and helped to build the wagons donated by individuals and businesses in the area. Nine wagons were donated this year at Pandora-Gilboa and each were filled with toys for the children at Dayton Children's Hospital to receive as Christmas presents. 

When Coach Lee was the principal at Minster High School a female student approached him who spent time at Dayton Children's Hospital. She told Coach Lee about her time at the hospital and wanted to begin a toy drive for children there over the holidays. Coach Mike Lee thought it was a phenomenal idea to do so. They began with just one wagon filled with toys at Minster, where the tradition continues today. When at Minster the entire basketball team would get on a bus to deliver the toys directly to Dayton Children's Hospital together.

This year is the tenth annual Red Wagon Campaign. Head Coach Mike Lee has participated in a majority of the ten years partaking with his basketball teams at both Minster and Pandora-Gilboa.

Senior captain Matt Maag said that, "It was great to see everyone come together and donate for the children at the hospital." He hopes that the campaign will "continue growing in future years".

Junior Camden Verhoff stated that "It was a great experience being a part of this wonderful campaign and I can't wait to be a part of it again next year." 

This tradition will continue next season so if you feel like donating a wagon or toys to help the campaign mark your calendar for next December and drop the toys off at a Rockets basketball game. 

This tradition is a reminder to all about the season of giving that is Christmas. There are many organizations that collect and donate toys and I hope that the Pandora Gilboa basketball teams inspire you to give if you can whether it be with the Red Wagon Campaign or another similar charity. 

Have a merry Christmas everyone!

Read more articles by Chase Dettrow