Twenty-five years ago, Hoops for Hope was just an in-house basketball pool; today it is a major fundraiser, netting $6,800 for Anders’s 2011 Charity of Choice, Girls on the Run St. Louis (GOTR). Jill Indovino, Executive Director, Katie Helbig, Program Director and Maggie Siemer, Operations and Finance Manager of GOTR joined Anders last month for an appreciation lunch and to present the check to GOTR.
Hoops for Hope, Anders’s NCAA basketball pool draws participation from Anders clients, colleagues, referral sources and friends of the firm from all over the U.S. Craig Campbell, CPA, tax partner, started the pool and remains the organizer. He is assisted by a large contingent of Anders staff who set-up the online pool, market it and count the proceeds. This year, Campbell implemented a new twist, “Double-Diamond Super Platinum Sponsors”. Anders had an overwhelming response to the sponsorship idea and landed the St. Louis Business Journal as the main sponsor. Publisher Ellen Sherberg ran the Hoops for Hope story in one of her weekly columns and EditorJoe Dwyer blogged about it on BizTalk, increasing the amount of participants. Several sponsors were also in attendance at the appreciation luncheon.
The proceeds from the fundraiser grew to a record amount this year with all the funds going to GOTR. Anders and sponsors donated prizes for the top eight, which this year included a variety of electronic devices and sports and entertainment tickets.
GOTR St. Louis is a life changing, non-profit prevention program for girls in the 3rd through 8th grade. Their mission is “to educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.”
Girls on the Run of St. Louis is an Independent Council of Girls on the Run International, which has a network of 160+ locations across the United States and Canada. GOTR-STL has over 150 programs throughout Missouri and Illinois. Kris Pearce, tax senior at Anders, is a GOTR junior board member and volunteer coach.
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