News Release
Contact
Laurie E. Bick-Jensen
Director,
Public Relations
320 DuPont Highway
New Castle, DE
19720
(302) 295-1164
laurie.e.bick@wilmu.edu
Charity Basketball Games to Benefit Fallen Firefighters' Families
Donations will be presented to the victims' families at the Wilmington University Wildcats' games on December 18.
Wilmington University Wildcats basketball will honor the recent sacrifices of three Delaware firefighters through donations to their families at the December 18 men's and women's games against Goldey-Beacom College.
The women's game tips off at 1:00 p.m. on December 18, with the men's game following at 3:00 p.m. Both will take place at the Wilmington University Athletics Complex at 1365 Pulaski Highway in Newark.
The University's basketball program will be holding collections for the cause at each of its upcoming home games. These funds, along with proceeds from the sale of event shirts featuring fire department logos, will be presented to the families of fallen firefighters at the games' halftimes.
On September 24, two Wilmington firefighters, Capt. Christopher Leach and Lt. Jerry Fickes, lost their lives battling a rowhouse fire in the city. Brad Speakman, who was critically injured in the blaze, was well enough to return home after hospitalization on November 3. Ardythe Hope, the firefighter who was also hospitalized in critical condition with burns over 70% of her body, passed away due to her injuries on December 2.
On July 11, Tim McClanahan, a Lewes firefighter, died during a joint training exercise with the Delaware State Police's Air Rescue Team.
The charity games are "the right thing to do, to help, to give back" to the families of those who have given so much, especially in the weeks before what will likely be a difficult Christmas for them, said Robert Miller, Senior Director of Recruiting at Wilmington University. "First responders are the people we call in an emergency, and they come running," he said.
"It's the biggest game of the season and it's a big rivalry," said Miller. "But while Wilmington and Goldey-Beacom may be rivals on the floor, this is bigger than all of us."
For more information about the games and/or donations, contact Rob Miller at robert.p.miller@wilmu.edu.
About Wilmington University
Wilmington University is a private, nonprofit institution committed to providing flexible, career-oriented, traditional and online associate, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs. Ranked as the second fastest growing nonprofit doctoral institution in America 2004 – 2014 by The Almanac of The Chronicle of Higher Education, affordable tuition, academic excellence and individualized attention are hallmarks of the University that enable greater student success in their chosen careers. For more information, contact Wilmington University at 302-356-INFO (4636), via email at infocenter@wilmu.edu, or visit our website: www.wilmu.edu.
