Warrior Booster Club Gears Up for 'March Madness' Fundraisers

The Warrior Booster Club is gearing up for back-to-back weekends of "March Madness" events to raise money for extracurricular activities in .

At 6 p.m. Saturday, the  boys and girls basketball teams will take on "the Village People" for the school's second annual charity basketball game. The event will be held in the Old Quarry gymnasium, 16100 W. 127th St.

The opposing team will include former Lemont Mayor John Piazza, Trustee Cliff Miklos, village staff, firefighters, police officers and teachers. Lemont Fire Chief Carl Churulo and Police Chief Kevin Shaughnessy will serve as coaches.

The Old Quarry dance and cheerleading teams will perform during the event, while musical entertainment will be provided by the Old Quarry Band. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students.

Warrior Booster Club President Amy Kramer said the game is one of the organization's favorite events of the year.

"It was such a hit last year, so we're excited to be doing it again," she said. "It brings the community together and gets the kids involved, which is so important to us."

On March 16, the Warrior Booster Club will host its second annual March Madness Night—a fundraiser geared more toward adults.

The event will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at , 319 Front St., where the NCAA basketball tournament will be playing on several televisions in the bar. The fundraiser will also include raffles and a silent auction.

Tickets are $45 per person, or $80 per couple. Warrior Booster Club members are urging those interested in tickets to purchase them as soon as possible, as there are a limited number available. They can be purcahsed at www.warriorboosterclub.com, or by contacting Old Quarry basketball coach Jack Williams at williams.family23@yahoo.com.

Williams, who also teaches at Old Quarry, said he and his wife came up with the idea for a March Madness-themed fundraiser last year.

"We realized how popular the NCAA tournament is, so we thought what better fundraiser for an organization that supports Old Quarry athletics and activities than to have something revolve around the NCAA March Madness theme," he said.

Now in its second year of operation, the Warrior Booster Club offers more than two dozen extracurricular activities to students in fifth through eighth grade.

The organization raised more than $115,000 through registration fees and donations before the start of the 2011-12 school year, but the March Madness fundraisers allow them to provide scholarships and waivers for students who cannot afford the costs of activities.

"The Warrior Booster Club has adopted March as our month of awareness, so we just try to get the word out so we can keep kids active and involved in their school," Kramer said.

For more information on the Warrior Booster Club or to purchase tickets for the March Madness fundraiser, visit www.warriorboosterclub.com.