HAVERFORD, Pa. – Haverford College will host the Billy Lake Basketball Marathon on Saturday, October 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. All proceeds will benefit The ALS Association's Greater Philadelphia Chapter's research program to find a cure for Lou Gehrig's disease and the Billy Lake Memorial Scholarship Fund at Monsignor Bonner High School. Billy Lake was a Havertown resident who succumbed to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in April 1992 at the age of 42.
The all-day basketball marathon, now in its fifth year at Haverford College's Gardner Integrated Athletic Center and 24th year overall, features youth and adult teams competing for fun while raising funds and awareness to fight ALS.
The Billy Lake Basketball Marathon is the longest standing annual ALS fundraiser in the Philadelphia area. It has generated more than $425,000 in funds to fight the disease and for scholarships at Monsignor Bonner.
The Haverford College women's basketball team is serving as the host for the event in honor of Libby Meeks, the mother of former Ford captain Dominique Meeks '13. Libby Meeks passed away from ALS in August of 2013 after battling the disease for more than 15 years. She was 51.
The basketball marathon will feature games on two courts beginning at 9 a.m. Six of the area's top high school boys' basketball teams will be participating as well as community teams, youth teams and adult teams. The Philadelphia Phillies' ball girls will be playing a celebrity game at noon.
The Billy Lake Marathon is one of several events sponsored at Haverford to raise funds and awareness in the fight against ALS. Each April, the College hosts the Joe Schwartz Run/Walk with proceeds going toward ALS Research.
The Haverford and outside community are encouraged to attend to support the fight against ALS. There will be a silent auction featuring a signed Yogi Berra jersey, autographed Derek Jeter baseball, Flyers packages, Phillies memorabilia, gift baskets and more. There will be plenty of refreshments and some of the best basketball in the area. Teams and individuals can still sign up to play or donate at www.billylake.com. Cost for a team entry is $200 while individuals can sign up for $20. All players will receive a T-shirt.