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Edison Community College freshman
forward Jacob Benanzer drives to the
basket against two Rio Grande
defenders in a game from the 2011-12
season. Edison’s Athletic Department will be holding the
third-annual
Charger 300 on March 15, to raise money to support the college’s
athletics programs.
Edison Hosts
Third Annual Charger 300 Event To Support Athletics
The Edison Community College Athletics Department will hold the third
annual Charger 300 Club on Thursday, March 15, at the Piqua main campus
theater starting at 6 p.m., to help raise funds for its men’s and
women’s programs.
The highlight of the evening’s events is a reverse raffle, with one
lucky winner walking away with $10,000. Only 300 tickets are sold,
which gives participants a 1-in-300 chance of winning the big prize.
Multiple cash prizes are also given out for additional drawings
throughout the night. Last year’s event gave away more than $14,500 in
cash and prizes including Cincinnati Reds tickets and Ohio State and
Edison sports memorabilia.
Tickets are $100 per couple, and the event will feature a free buffet,
beverages and entertainment, with the first round of the NCAA Men’s
Basketball Tournament playing on the theater’s big screen throughout
the evening. A silent auction will also be held, with the winners being
announced at the end of the drawing.
“We’ve had a lot of success with the first two years of the Charger 300
and we’re very excited to bring this event back to campus this year,”
said Chip Hare, Edison Athletic Director. “It’s a great way for us to
reach out to fans and members of the Edison community. Tickets have
been selling well so far, and with only 300 total tickets available for
the event, they tend to go quickly.”
The first two years of the event have raised approximately $25,000 to
support Edison athletics. The funds raised will help provide the
opportunity for the Charger men’s and women’s basketball and women’s
volleyball teams to travel and participate in post season tournaments,
and also provide for uniforms and meals for players and coaches. This
year’s event will also help to fund the newly reestablished Edison Club
Baseball Team, which will begin its season March 22.
“We’re very excited to have baseball returning to Edison this spring,”
said Hare. “This event will be instrumental in helping us to get the
program going strong and keeping it here at the school for years to
come.”
Edison’s teams compete in the Ohio Community College Athletic
Conference and are members of the National Junior College Athletic
Association Division II.
Edison’s athletic programs provide a unique opportunity to athletes who
may have found difficulty participating at larger schools due to
financial reasons and family commitments. Some Edison athletes have
been able to translate their successes as a Charger into opportunities
to move on and play for four-year institutions.
“Playing for Edison was a great part of my life, and not only gave me
the opportunity to play basketball, but it taught me life lessons as
well,” said Kris White, who played for the Chargers men’s basketball
team from 1997-1999, and now works as a special agent with the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA). “I use what I learned at Edison in my
everyday life from the way I approach my employment to how I raise my
children. I can honestly say that without Edison I would not be in the
situation that I am in today.”
Former standout volleyball player Shelby Shimp recalls her time playing
with the Chargers from 2009-2011, and how participating in collegiate
athletics helped her to form relationships with coaches and teammates
that she carries with her today.
“It was through my involvement in volleyball and recruitment that I
developed my skills in leadership, communication, and dedication.
Without my experiences as a Charger, I doubt I would have developed the
discipline, high expectations for myself, and the perseverance needed
to achieve my aspirations,” Shimp said. “Edison volleyball has a way of
bringing together a group of strangers and making a family. Twenty
years from now when our yearly records are long forgotten statistics I
will still remember the friendships and treasure the memories I made as
an Edison Charger.”
White’s playing days with the Chargers hold many fond memories for him
as well.
“There were the road trips which were always a good time. Anything
could happen at any time, from police escorts out of Cincinnati State
to the trip up to Alpena, Michigan where we went further than anyone’s
expectations, but fell short of our team’s goals,” said White. “I think
about my time at Edison everyday. This is because a four inch piece of
basketball net hangs on my dresser, that we were rewarded, for playing
a simple and fun game.”
For more information and to purchase tickets to the Charger 300 Club
event, go online to www.edisonohio.edu/charger300 or call Chip Hare at
937-778-7852
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