Beech Tree News Network

While college basketball teams embarked in the March Madness that is postseason tournament action, Morgantown youth engaged in March Gladness Saturday at Cool Springs General Baptist Church, the first fundraiser of 2016 benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Butler Co., Inc. Executive Director of the Club Bruce White said the event has returned for the fourth straight year Saturday and raised over $15,114. Aligning with the March Madness theme, much of the day's activities were basketball-centric. The all-day event kicked off with a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by a full slate of basketball competition, a Macho Man Contest, a silent auction and a spaghetti dinner.

"We have five major fundraisers a year and this is the first one of the year," White said. "It's a spring off of March Madness. Last year we raised a little over $10,000." All funds go directly to help make programs provided by the Boys & Girls Club of Butler Co., Inc., celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2016, possible. White said the Boys and Girls Club serves about 800 students a year. The Boys and Girls Club currently serves an average of 78 children per day at their main location in Morgantown, and around 25 children per day at their North Butler Elementary School location, which is in the first year of operation. Along with supervised activities the kids receive help with homework, and participate in other programs designed to teach life-lessons, and provide a strong foundation of academics and community service.

Manda Casey brought her son Cavan, 5, to the March Gladness event Saturday. Casey said Cavan participated in the event last year and was excited to return again, noting the positive impact the Boys and Girls Club has on the youth of Butler County. “I think that our children are our future,” Casey said. “We need to invest in them and provide them with positive opportunities.”