Dennis Perkins of Platinum Premiere Productions
It doesn’t get more serious than domestic violence, and no community is immune to the problem. In some sense, though, Danbury is fortunate that it is a problem that people are a little more tuned into thanks to The Family and Children’s Aid Center in Danbury. Of course, raising awareness and providing a fresh and safe start for women and children displaced by these horrible circumstances take more than a community that understands. This is where Dennis Perkins of Platinum Premiere Productions hopes he can come in and help the Center continue to provide shelter and services at West Street in Danbury.
“They have ongoing expenses,” says Lee Moyer of Penn Gardener Inc.—the public relations firm helping Mr. Perkins to promote a fundraising basketball game at the PAL center on December 8th. The Danbury Dream Team, consisting mostly of former UConn greats, will be putting their NCAA credentials on the line versus the free-wheeling bounce of the Puerto Rican Pride team, which competes regularly in New York’s top summer pro leagues.
Just back from a thirty-country tour, the pride team rounds its roster out with several European players and at least two who have made their way onto the back end of NBA benches. But there certainly has to be a lot of pride about how the pick up they still play on the playgrounds of New York City put them where they are today and might possibly mean more to them than the globalization of basketball they take part in. “They are stars on the playgrounds and street ball in New York City is a big thing,” says Moyer.
The stage then is set for these two basketball worlds to collide above the rim and in the passing lanes for UConn alum E.J. Harris (of the 1999 championship team), Casey Bock, DeWayne Dickens and Rudy McCarley and Keane State stars Trevon Little and John Weir. Still, “They’re more seasoned and Danbury will have its hands filled,” says Mr. Moyer, so he’s calling on the community to lend a little loudness to the effort.
Helping out greatly in that capacity will be all 68 inches of former Danbury High School star Quaney Hesser and how easily he can make up the 4 feet 4inches that separates his head from the bottom of the rim. “To see a 5 foot 8 inch guy like Quaney dunk, it’s amazing the way high he can get off the ground,” says Moyer; and the response will show in the stands, he predicts.
It won’t be all home-court advantage for the Danbury Dream Team, though. The street will seem a little closer with the Puerto Rican team having one of its own emceeing the event. MSG TV host Boobie Smith, who helps promote playground basketball worldwide, will take the street talk back into the seats. “He’s going to get it interactive,” says Moyer of this deeply embedded playground basketball personality.
Halftime will feature the East Hartford Step Team and include singing and dancing performances with a little Spanish flavor. “We want to keep the energy up at halftime,” he says, and make a distinction for those thinking of staying home on another Saturday night. “It’s the difference between watching a live event and watching TV, and you can watch TV anytime,” he says.
Of course, the Knicks might leave you questioning whether staying home to watch them would be a better idea for an evening of hoops. Knowing full well how that choice can spoil a weekend, he asks rhetorically, “Did you watch the Knicks last night?” But basketball aside, 10,000 seats await a fun night out, he says, “and a charity we all believe in.”
Tip off is at 6:00pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for children under 10. For more info call 203-778-3944.
