Starry Night On UC's Campus

On Friday night, September 19th, UC hosted a huge fundraising event to benefit the restoration of Eddie King Gymnasium and to build a new performance athletic arena. For a mere $250, a person could dance beneath the stars on the Kanawha River, indulge in an incredible feast of a vast array of delicious entrees, mingle with the stars of the evening, Jennifer Garner and her husband Ben Affleck, and share stories and laughter with friends of the University of Charleston.

Coach Fitzgerald and I were assigned the task of "guarding" Jennifer during her photo ops with the VIPs of the evening. I supposed the thought was that since we were once basketball players that we could handle defending Jennifer or perhaps it was just our incredible biceps which landed us the role. Nevertheless, we were in charge of making certain that the individuals who were fortunate enough to get their photos taken with Jennifer did not linger too long. Imagine the VIPs who were going through the line: Mayor Danny Jones, Senator Rockefeller, and other high profile individuals from the area. It is a good thing that none of them knew who the heck we were as we had to put our basketball skills to the test deflecting, intercepting, and sometimes boxing out to secure Jennifer's well being.

We were close enough to Jennifer to hear every word spoken. I was amazed at her ability to make others feel special. No matter who went through the line, she listened, interacted with them, and acted as if she would rather be right there than any other place in the world. I wished that my players could have been there to watch her graciousness, to learn how to interact on a personal basis, and to witness the power of giving back to community.

While the coaching staff was busy placing our lives on the line for Jennifer, our players were in the main tent on the campus lawn. They were responsible for getting the 1,000 or so individuals who attended to their assigned places and clearing tables. I am assuming they didn't spill drinks on any tuxedos or expensive evening gowns. At least, I have yet to hear about it.

The event was magnificent. Beneath the stars on a gorgeous West Virginia evening with a cool breeze blowing across the Kanawha, it could not have been a better night. It was the type of evening that left the team and coaches hopeful that we will one day play in a beautiful new arena packed with 2,000 fans screaming for us--the stars of the night.