Schools
Hickory Creek Students Organize Charity Wheelchair Basketball Game
The proceeds from the event will go toward the Lincolnway Special Recreation Association.
The students and staff of Hickory Creek Middle School will face off against the Lincolnway Special Recreation Association Rolling Falcons at a charity wheelchair basketball game Tuesday evening.
The game was the brainchild of Nicky and Michael Piunti, both of whom are eighth graders at Hickory Creek Middle School. The Piunti twins are two of the three original members of the Rolling Falcons wheelchair basketball team.
Nicky and Michael have spinal muscular atrophy type 3, which means that they are missing a gene that creates protein for the body. This results in a weakening of the muscles, particularly in the spine and legs. Both Nicky and Michael have used a wheelchair since the second grade.
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The two brothers presented their idea for a charity basketball game to Hickory Creek Prinicipal Kevin Suchinski in October and have been planning the event ever since.
The charity game is the result of a partnership between Hickory Creek and Lincolnway Special Rec. LWSRA provides athletic and recreational opportunities for people with disabilities in Frankfort, Mokena, New Lenox, Peotone, Manhattan and Wilmington.
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“I wanted to show them what it’s like to be playing an adaptive sport,” said Michael.
The charity game will take place at 7 p.m. at Hickory Creek. Admission is two dollars for students and five dollars for families. The game will include raffles and prizes in between quarters. All the funds raised will go toward Lincolnway Special Rec to cover travel expenses for the Rolling Falcons and to help build a new facility for the organization.
Nicky and Michael also worked with Hickory Creek and LWSRA to put together a P.E. takeover day on Dec. 20, during Disability Awareness Week.
Throughout the day, Lincolnway Special Rec staff members led P.E. classes at Hickory Creek, teaching students adaptive sports typically played by people with disabilities, such as wheelchair basketball, sit volleyball and visual impaired goal ball.
“Hopefully students get a better awareness of what it’s like to have a disability,” said Jeff Perich, a physical education and health teacher at Hickory Creek.
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