‘Chubby Chicks’ fight heart disease
Berl Tiskus
the "Bloodclotters"
Berl Tiskus
the "Defibrillators"
Berl Tiskus
Daisy and Brownie Scout Troop 3433 work hard to give to money to support Chubby Chicks basketball. Ella, front left, Lovlei, Aaliyaha, Katelyne, left second row, Bethany, Mikenzie, Alayna, Maizy, and Harlee all presented the money from bake sales and an art sale.
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POLSON — While it sounds like the Defibrillators and Bloodclotters would cross paths in an emergency room, they’ll actually meet in the second annual Chubby Chicks basketball game.
The game will be held on Friday, April 26, at 7 p.m. at the Linderman Elementary School gym. Admission is $5.
This is not an average basketball game; it’s women from the community putting themselves out there for a good cause: heart disease awareness. Heart disease is the number one killer of women, Croft said, far ahead of breast cancer. It affects newborns on up.
The game should be a fun family time with basket raffles, including a guy’s basket, a concession stand with food donated by Subway, free blood pressure checks and a chance to watch the Defibrillators and Bloodclotters shoot some hoops. Celebrity coaches are Mick Holien, the Voice of the Griz, and Mark Russell, Assistant Lake County Attorney.
“It’s such a fun group of women (and men), from players to cheerleaders,” said Shelley Croft, mastermind of the event.
“We’re just ordinary women, who are wives, aunts, sisters and cousins who are really putting ourselves out there to raise awareness (of heart disease).”
Last year, the Chubby Chicks game raised $2,600 in 90 minutes, and the goal this year is $5,000, according to Croft, who said all money raised would go towards a defibrillator for Linderman gym and one for the Ronan High School gym.
Croft’s mother has heart disease, but the idea for Chubby Chicks basketball came to Croft while she was watching her kids play basketball at Linderman gym.
“How come there isn’t a basketball team for chubby women?” she thought. “We still like to play ball, although it might take us longer.”
So she put together a basketball game involving community women.
Kelly Kost, who works in sales and administration at Les Schwab Tire Centers in Ronan, is a player this year. Kost said the teams have been practicing since March and are doubling up on practices this week.
“It’s been a hoot,” Kost said. “ But I’m not sure how much actual basketball is going to be played (on Friday).”
“I was not sure how (the event) was going to go last year,” Croft said. “But it was phenomenal.”
Area businesses have been selling paper hearts, much like the shamrocks for muscular dystrophy, and sponsoring the Chubby Chicks, helping buy shirts and donating items for the raffle baskets.
Croft, the players, coaches, cheerleaders and “cheer guys” all invite the community out for a good time, good food and a good cause.
“Wear a red shirt to the game, and help us raise awareness about heart disease for women,” she said.
