February 9, 2002 Wasilla plays host to the Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears in an ASAA Endowment game.  Below is an explanation of the Endowment Game Program

ASAA INITIATES NEW ENDOWMENT GAMES PROGRAM TO RAISE FUNDS AND
AWARENESS

ASAA has adopted an exciting new program for member schools, entitled Endowment Games.
The program's dual purpose is to:

1) Enable schools to play one additional basketball game and
2) To raise funds for, and awareness of, the Alaska Endowment for Youth Activities.

Played during the basketball season, an Endowment Game is extra - beyond the 22-game season limit.
Scores won't count in a team's season record, nor will they impact seeding or WPI.

Beyond a love of basketball, why would a school want to play an Endowment Game? The answer dates
back to the time ASAA was part of the Alaska Department of Education. In those days, the association
received hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, which was given back to the schools to reimburse
them for state tournament travel costs. Support disappeared when ASAA became self-supporting in 1986.

Two years ago, the ASAA Board of Directors decided to find a way to once again help schools with state
tournament travel costs. They organized the Alaska Endowment for Youth Activities, Inc., now registered
as a 501(c)(3) corporation. The Endowment's objective is to raise $12.5 million (an activities "Permanent
Fund"), only the interest of which will be used to support Endowment goals. These goals are:

1) To provide at least partial reimbursement to schools for state tournament travel
2) To ensure the financial stability of ASAA
3) To fund other activity related items as determined by the Board of Trustees

Last year, the ASAA Board turned the Endowment over to an independent Board of Trustees, who would
lead its growth and development, and maintain a relationship to ASAA. One the first activities was to form
the Endowment Games Program, giving schools and local communities the opportunity to contribute
directly to the fund.

Here's how it works: An interested school finds another school interested in participating in an Endowment
Game. They agree on a date (within the season limits) and site and send in a completed Endowment
Game Application. Game organizers contact officials and ask them to donate their services. During the
game, every opportunity is taken to tell the Endowment story and to recognize local fans for contributing
to the future of high school activities in Alaska. All gate receipts are collected, mandatory expenses are
paid and the proceeds are sent to the Endowment along with a Final Report form. Officials, schools, and
individuals donating and contributing to the game are listed as contributors. Alumni games may be
played as Endowment Games.

No team may play in more than one Endowment Game each season. However, schools may sponsor
more than one Endowment Game each season if they involved different teams ... i.e. boys varsity, girls
junior varsity, etc.

Last page update January 19, 2002  ~  Comments?  Feedback? E-mail:   wasillabb@yahoo.com © 2001 by wasillabb (wasillabb@yahoo.com).  No part of this document may be reproduced without permission from Wasilla Basketball (wasillabb@yahoo.com)