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Police officers, firefighters battle on court to help kids
CHARITY GAME
By CHEZ ALLISON
YOUNGSTOWN
After playing the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department in last year’s charity basketball game, members of the Youngstown Police Department wanted to try their luck against the Youngstown Fire Department.
Sometimes when you play with fire, you can get burned.
Friday’s game at the Arlington Heights Recreation Center raised money and awareness for Mahoning County Children Services.
The fire department won the game, 70-41, but the score doesn’t matter. The event was about bringing awareness to neglected children in Mahoning County.
The police department was led by team captain Jessica Shields, who played basketball at Howland High School and Kent State University. Shields recently participated on the CBS television series “The Amazing Race.”
“I’ve been a police officer for five years and now with the K-9 unit,” Shields said. “I love doing charity events that bring attention to matters such as neglected kids with limited resources. Raising awareness is the most important thing today.”
The team captain for the fire department was Lieutenant Chris Vass, a nine-year veteran on the department and a Cardinal Mooney High School graduate.
“It’s a great feeling to play in this game,” Vass said. “Any time the fire department can take part in doing anything for the community, we’re all for it.
“I grew up here and I want to do whatever I can to help kids or anyone in need in the area.”
The Above The Rim Basketball Event sponsored by the Mahoning County Services Citizens Committee, is one example of the type of activities utilized to raise awareness and funds to help support neglected and less fortunate children in the area.
Funds raised from this game will be put to use in areas of need, such as investigating reports of alleged child abuse and neglect.
“We’re all just happy to be apart of something as little as a game that raises money for such an important issue especially here in our county,” Shields said.
With the win, the fire department gets to choose its opponent for next year’s charity game.