Over the weekend the Grays Harbor Hawks held their 11th annual Celebrity Basketball Game and Fundraiser, presented by Five Star Dealerships.

With the Aberdeen High School Band band providing the background music, Sam Benn Gym packed to the top rows and tables of silent auction items up for grabs, the reboot of the annual fundraiser brought in nearly $25-thousand for Grays Harbor’s special Olympics teams.

The money raised, according to Director Breanna Gentry, will go for equipment and game wear for athletes in every sport.

Highlighting the day’s festivities was the basketball game featuring members of the Hawks state tournament qualifying teams against a celebrity all-star team that included local community leaders and professional athletes, including former Seahawk kicker Norm Johnson, linebacker Lofa Tatupu, and offensive lineman Sean Locklear, whose years of work with Special Olympics teams earned him lifetime membership as a Grays Harbor Hawk.

Taking advantage of a smothering defense and a dominant day on the offensive glass, the Hawks downed the celebrities 51-40, a fitting end to a day celebrating the pure joy that comes with stepping on the court and getting to play the game.

Photo from Grays Harbor Hawks