Heroes and Hoops at Mother Catherine
Law enforcement officers spend their working hours dealing with criminals, accidents, and emergencies. Outside of those hours, they invest in the communities they serve through events like the March’s Heroes and Hoops.
On a recent Sunday, deputies and correctional officers from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office volunteered to play basketball against the Mother Catherine Academy girls basketball team. The game, held March 19, 2017, in Helen, Maryland, was part of the Local Heroes Project, a program started by MCA administrators to teach students the virtue of charity.
The MCA gym was packed with spectators, all of whom cheered their favorite team for every score.
“There was so much positive energy in the room that day you couldn’t help but get excited during the game,” said correctional officer Sgt. Bonnie Payne. “It was a rewarding experience for me especially because my grandchildren attend the school. It was a way for me to serve my community while spending time with my family.”
At first, the sheriff’s office team was leading the scoreboard, but then a twist was announced: for every dollar donated, the MCA team received 5 points on the scoreboard, and the sheriff’s office received 1 point. All the money raised was donated to the family of “Sgt. Nolan Scully,” who recently lost his battle with cancer.
MCA cheerleaders entertained during the halftime show, pulling the officers into the middle of the court, where they had them participate in a formation with signs that read, “Support our Local Heroes” held up behind them.
“When I found out the funds raised for the event would be given to the Nolan Scully family,” Sgt. Sarah Lacey said, “I immediately volunteered to play. I live here in St. Mary’s County, this community is a family. We help each other any way we can.”
After the first game, the MCA boys team played the Maryland State Police team, and then the MSP team and the sheriff’s office played each other in a seven-minute game.
At the end of the event, MCA students surprised law enforcement officers and the Scully family with a thin blue line flag that was folded while “There Are Angels Among Us” by Alan Jackson played in the background. Once it was folded, students presented it to the Scully family.
Students then presented the law enforcement agencies with a basketball signed by them and tobacco stick signs with each deputy’s and state trooper’s name.
For more about Lexington Park, visit the St. Mary’s County Community Development Corporation’s Leader member page.
