Harrisburg Hoopla will take place June 3 at City Island’s Skyline Sports Complex.
Typically, professional athletes compete at Harrisburg’s City Island. However, come June 3, amateurs will have their day to play, while raising funds for local nonprofits.
Harrisburg Hoopla will give participants a day of friendly competition that ends with cold drinks, snacks and live music. Groups of at least six will face off in the Skyline Sports Complex in eight events of field day classics, such as the dizzy bat race and dodgeball.
The Emerging Philanthropist Program (EPP), a partnership between Harrisburg Young Professionals and the Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC), created Harrisburg Hoopla this year to raise awareness and funds for local charities.
“We want to raise awareness for different causes and local nonprofit organizations,” said event organizer Devin Langan. “There are some organizations that are out there that are doing really good work, but people may not know about them.”
Teams select different local nonprofits to support. The winning three teams take the bulk of the donations for their charities. The first-place team takes 30 percent of funds raised. Second and third place teams, respectively, take 20 and 10 percent of funds raised.
After the field day activities end, the event turns into a party complete with live music, alcohol, snacks and a food truck.
“We have a little bit of everything,” Langan said. “People can relax, have fun and enjoy the weather.”
The winning teams will be given a platform to talk about their charity of choice.
So far, teams have been selected to compete for the Samara Center for Individual and Family Growth, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and a charity to benefit those with cystic fibrosis.
The event also serves as a fundraiser that will sustain next year’s event and EPP’s grant-making fund.
“Instead of just focusing on raising money for EPP, we can raise awareness of the local charities,” he said.
The program acquaints a class of 15 young adults with Harrisburg’s local nonprofit community. At the end of the yearlong class, the group doles out a $5,000 grant to a nonprofit. In its fourth years, EPP has donated $15,000 to local groups, including the YWCA and the Shalom House.
After completing the program, Langan and other event organizers wanted to create an annual event that would engage all the community and benefit the nonprofit community they became connected with.
“We want to keep Harrisburg growing and improving,” he said.
Participants must register to compete. Attendees can purchase tickets to come for the evening festivities. Register before May 7 for an early bird rate. Event organizers suggest that those supporting and cheering on teams during the day donate.
“[Harrisburg Hoopla is] open to everyone. We want as many people to come as possible,” Langan said.
For more information about Harrisburg Hoopla, including how to register, please visit www.tfec.org/hbghoopla/registration.
Author: Danielle Roth
