DANVILLE, Va. – All eyes were on the court during the game at George Washington High School, but something else special was happening off of it – Danville Police Department’s Community Engagement Project continuing to contribute to the decrease of crime in the area.
Now, the community is coming together to give back with some basketball fun.
Former high school basketball players from Pittsylvania County and the city of Danville met again for a rivalry game on Thursday, and the community showed up and showed out to support the teams and the engagement project.
Sylvia Brooks, Corporal for Community Engagement, said seeing a sell-out crowd meant everything to her.
“It’s humbling to see the people come out and help other people who are other youth or whoever they be that may not be able to do certain things if we didn’t have this day,” Brooks said.
Bryson Mclaughlin, a Pittsylvania County basketball player, said he’s just happy to give back.
“Really it’s just to give the younglings, the younger generation a chance to see that if you work hard, it’s more than just Danville,” Mclaughlin said. “It’s more than the crime in the city. Like you can elevate yourself and do better. I’m just excited to be a part of it.”
The competition between the two teams might have been intense on the court, but Mclaughlin said that after the game is over, they go back to treating each other like family.
“We might talk junk in-between the lines, but when we get off the court we going to all shake hands, it’s all love really,” Mclaughlin said.
From ticket sales alone, the game raised over $2,000 for the community engagement project. Concessions and raffle tickets also contributed even more money.
“Working together. Having fun. Raising money for a good cause and enjoying every minute of it,” Brooks said.