ALL-STARS

Granny All-Stars Basketball fundraiser a huge success, draws hundreds

Just want to take a moment to thank every single person who made GRANNY ALL-STAR BASKETBALL EXTRAVAGANZA 2023 on Nov. 4 a huge success!!
Thank you first and foremost to the Granny Basketball players. What an amazing group of women who spread joy through the game of basketball. This event was 100% their idea and charisma! Thank you ladies for your amazing efforts. Grannies came from around Iowa and made it the most memorable night!! WOW!! HATS OFF TO YOU ALL! Special thanks to Loretta Tool who put in a ton of extra hours in the UWJC office and preparing for the big event.
Thank you to the group of All Stars who joined the team knowing they had very little chance and 0 practices when facing the Granny Mustangs. Thank you Kahlil R Carter, Jason Dent, Sarah Jorges (The Morning Jolt With Jamie & Sarah), Andrew Kuker, Liz Dodd, Sheri Hawley, Adam Roberts, John Bradley, Steve Weeks and Brad Sponseller!!
Thank you to our guest referees Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin with the Iowa Women's Basketball and Jayne at SWARM for facilitating their visit. Can't say enough about how gracious, humble and kind the two were and we so appreciate them giving their time to be there.
Thank you Randy Ervin and Eric Vander Velden for serving as announcers. Thank you to Avery Potter for singing the National Anthem. Thank you to the ladies who managed the score board, kept score on paper and helped with the rules!!!
Thank you to United Way of Jasper County board members for all your work in making the event a success. Thank you all for volunteering to be a part of the event. Thank you Deb, Jodi, Meggan, Mindi, Alex, Marianne, Nikki, Reanna, Kelly!!
Thank you to everyone who made a dessert or pie or donated one to the auction. And to everyone who purchased a dessert because of you the auction was a huge success and $2,575. HOLY MOLY!!
Thank you to the Newton Athletic Booster Club for partnering with us and hosting a pre-game Chili Feed!!! It was delicious! Thank you to the Newton Wrestling crew for having the concessions open.
Thank you to MercyOne Newton Medical Center's Heidi Welch PT, ATC and Amber Hansen, PT, DPT. Both women are members of the physical therapy department at MercyOne Newton Medical Center and volunteered their time just in case we needed some help. LUCKILY WE DIDN'T!
Thank you to our many on sight volunteers - we could not have done it without your help. And to our photographer Gary "Bubba" Pearson who snapped more than 10,000 photos and is editing them so we can share a ton soon (keep checking back) online!
A HUGE SHOUT OUT to the maintenance crew at the Newton High School who got everything set up and cleaned up. WOW! Thank you! AMAZING JOB!!!
Thank you to Energy 106.7 and the crew at The Morning Jolt With Jamie & Sarah - Sarah and Jamie both for helping spread the word and letting us be on the air to talk about the event!! AMAZING help getting the word out to everyone. And thank you to our friends at Hello Iowa for allowing Sarah and the Granny duo of Loretta Tool and Violet Bakalar be guests on your show. WOW! Thank you all for your help!!
And of course we could not of had this event without the kindness and generous support of our sponsors who help us put these events on. Thank you to Gates Corporation, Riggs Printing & Brand Promotions, Newton Iowa Rotary, JH Travel and Mace Family Dentistry. Absolutely amazing and wonderful supporters who heard of an event, believed in it and helped make it happen. Thank you to all our great sponsors.
In my heart you are all ALL-STARS! I hope everyone feels loved and appreciated. And of course hoping I didn't accidentally leave a name out. Thank you for everything you all did to make this event a huge success and one we will do again!!!
Thank you
Jessica Lowe Vokes
Executive Director of UWJC
PS Tons of photos are coming soon - including at the autograph table - so stay tuned for those!

Thank you to our sponsors!