Westside Middle School eighth grader Trevor Spady is hosting a Hoops For Hope event on Wednesday, February 26 at the Westside High School West Campus gym. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., participants throughout five age ranges will shoot 20 free throws, and the shooter with the highest amount of baskets will win 20 dollars. Proceeds from the event will go towards Hope Lodge in Omaha. Spady said that hosting the event combines two of his passions.

“My confirmation is coming up, and I decided to combine two of my favorite things; playing basketball and helping others,” Spady said.

Spady explained the Hoops For Hope event and what will happen if a tie occurs between participants.

“Each participant will get 20 free throw attempts, and for each age group, the person who makes the most wins 20 dollars,” Spady said. “If there is a tie, there will be a shoot-out between the tying participants for the money.”

Hope Lodge is a non-profit organization that provides a home away from home for cancer patients undergoing treatment. Spady said he has personal connections to Hope Lodge, which is why he wanted to support it. 

“My uncle died of cancer, and both my grandpas have cancer right now,” Spady said. “My uncle and one of my grandpas stayed in a Hope Lodge, and it was a great place to be and interact with family members [who have] cancer.”

Spady’s goal amount for the fundraiser is about 500 dollars. He said the biggest challenge with preparing for the competition is finding the time to put everything together and get the word out.

“So far, I’d say the time that it takes to put [an event] like this together [is a challenge],” Spady said. “With the activities that I’m in and school, it’s been challenging to make time for all of this.”

Lynn Spady, Trevor Spady’s mom, has helped give Trevor Spady ideas for the event as well as spread the word about it. 

“I contacted Jen Fox, the [person] in charge of events at Westside, to see what dates were available,” Lynn Spady said. “I emailed [the flyer] to Brandi Paul and asked her permission [to post it on the Westside Twitter].”

Lynn Spady said she hopes to teach her sons and others that community service doesn’t have to end at a single event. 

“This doesn’t have to be a one-and-done event, there’s lots of different charities, and you can have different events if it is something you really want to do,” Lynn Spady said. 

Lynn Spady said that she believes anyone, not just celebrities, can raise money and give back to their community. 

“A lot of times you see these big names, and these famous people that are doing so much good, but it doesn’t take a lot to do a little.” Lynn Spady said.

You can register for the event here.