BUFFALO, N.Y. — The 5th annual Connect Life basketball showcase, is an event organized by the Buffalo Police Athletic League.
Connect Life helps people help others, "As a federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organization and community blood bank, we save and enhance lives through organ, eye, tissue and blood donations."
The event was began at Mckinley High School in the City of Buffalo on Thursday and will run through Saturday.
"The annual tournament is funded by ConnectLife, WNY's only blood and organ donor network, and is a great opportunity for the organization to raise awareness about the need for donation and transplantation across the community. Connect Life will be promoting the need for blood donors with those attending the tournament, as collecting blood is always more difficult during holiday season," a press release stated.
"The need for blood never ends, so again we're partnering up with events like this to keeps our name out there in public. It encourages people to come and donate blood," Pasquale Maggiore, community relations assistant for ConnectLife said.
"This time of year is very tricky. People get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays. It's not front of mind to donate blood. Whenever we partner up with events like this it reinforces why it's so important and the need for blood never ends."
The event is to bring awareness to the importance of donating blood. Sixteen high school's from across WNY will come together in participation of this event for a great cause.
A full schedule is listed below:
Thursday
- 4:30 p.m. Girls Park School vs. Olmsted
- 6 p.m. Boys Tapestry vs. MST Seneca
- 7:30 p.m. Boys Maritime vs. Bennett
Friday
- 4:30 p.m. Girls Tapestry vs. Hutch Tech
- 6 p.m. Boys Burgard vs. South Park
- 7:30 p.m. Boys Will North vs. Hutch tech
Saturday
- 11:00 a.m. Girls Global vs. Emerson
- 12:30 p.m. Boys Global vs. Olmsted
- 2:00 p.m. Girls MST Seneca vs. McKinley
- 3:30 p.m. Boys JFK vs. McKinley