By David A Seaton
Winfield Courier – August 21, 2013
Police and firefighters will square off this week in a charity basketball game to help local cancer survivors.
And the trash talking already has begun.
“While they’re watching soap operas and eating bonbons, we’re fighting crime,” said Arkansas City Police Chief Sean Wallace, calling out his fellow public safety professionals. “We’re ready. We’re not going to let those fire guys beat us. No way.”
Oh, yeah?
Police officers are just insecure because they couldn’t make it as firefighters — or so the joke goes.
“We don’t want to make them feel too bad, because they’ll be losing to their heroes, because they couldn’t make it into the fire service,” shot back Ark City firefighter John Clawson.
Clawson, Wallace and dozens of other public safety officials from around the county are preparing for the first Battle of the Badges basketball tournament. Doors open at 4 p.m. Saturday at Cowley College’s W.S. Scott Auditorium in Arkansas City.
The event begins with two warm-up games and halftime entertainment from the Cowley danceline, along with a shootout for prizes.
KSOK Radio will provide the announcer.
Concessions, including hamburgers and nachos, and T-shirts will be sold.
Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students.
Cancer survivors will be given pink pom-poms or pink megaphones.
Survivors and family members will be recognized before the main event.
The Battle of the Badges tip-off is set for 7:15.
The event will feature players from the Ark City and Winfield police departments and the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office.
They will face off against players from the Ark City and Winfield fire departments.
Both sides have practiced some and are excited about the competition and the cause.
“I think it will be a lot of fun accepting the championship trophy because we’re going to win it,” boasted Sheriff Don Read.
“The main thing is, I think it’s a good cause. Cancer has affected us all in some way.”
Read, who stands at 6-foot-6, said it’s been a while since he played basketball, but “they talked me into it.”
The police and sheriff’s deputies are going to “smoke out” the firefighters, Read joked.
Wallace isn’t playing, but he’ll be there.
“I’m a horrible basketball player,” Wallace said.
“But they did me the respect of being an honorary coach. I’m going to be on the sidelines doing the best I can.”
Winfield Fire Marshal Dennis Darby said firefighters in Winfield have been practicing every Monday.
“I’m not as young as I used to be, but we have a lot of young guys in our department now, and it’s a fun thing,” he said.
At halftime of the main event, Ark City Dance will perform and prize winners will be announced.
Prizes include a $200 gift card to WB Meats, a youth bicycle from Spoke-N-Things, Walnut Valley Festival tickets and a $200 gift certificate to Mills Automotive.
All proceeds support the Shannon Seaton Memorial Fund to help local families facing financial hardships because of cancer.
Legacy Regional Community Foundation manages the fund.
For more information, call 221-7224 or email admin@legacyregionalfoundation.org.
“I hope everyone comes out and shows their support for the departments playing basketball,” said organizer Cindy Waugh, administrative assistant for the Ark City Fire-EMS Department.
“But more importantly, the support that has already been shown for the Shannon Seaton Memorial Fund has been awesome.”
Elite Advertising has provided a several-foot-high trophy for the winner to showcase during the year.
“We’re pleased at how Winfield and Ark City all came together for this fundraiser to help out families that need help with cancer,” said organizer Clifton Lolar.
“We would love to do it next year, too.”
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