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BPOE/Basketball Hall of Fame Partnership Announced
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks has formed a partnership with the
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Bill Foster, chair of the Nebraska Elks Hoop Shoot Program, announced at the
annual state convention that the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame was to house
the Elks "Hoop Shoot" Exhibit and that one key element will include
the Elks "Hoop Shoot" Exhibit on Center Court. The exhibit will
contain pictures of the national champs with the name of their home town and the
sponsoring Elks Lodge as well as a photo of Frank Hise and the history of the
program with a recognition plaque in the New Hall of Fame. The Elks will
also be recognized on the Donor Wall of Fame and on the Basketball Hall of
Fame website which currently gets more than one million hits per year. An
inspirational Kiosk will also be developed which will contain information of the
Hoop Shoot Program and other pertinent items about the program.
Foster said the partnership will create a strong, permanent bond between the
Elks and the Basketball Hall of Fame; honor the "Hoop Shoot" founding
father, Frank Hise, in a high profile manner; create an interactive promotion
demonstrating the skills of the National "Hoop Shoot" Program that
markets and reinforces the program year round; and advances the Benevolent and
Protectivie Order of Elks image as a leader in youth sports.
In addition, Foster said this partnership will position the BPOE with the
"Best of the Best" in the game of basketball, provide a permanent home
for the Elks National "Hoop Shoot" and the "Hoop Shoot"
champions for all basketball fans to enjoy, and it will educate the 400,000
annual visitors to the Hall of Fame about the Elks National "Hoop
Shoot" and the mission of the Elks organization.
A major fund raising drive is underway to raise the necessary $200,000 to
complete the project. At the Nebraska Elks Association Annual State
Convention, approximately $2,000 was raised by Nebraska Elks for the project.
If you did not have the opportunity to contribute, you still can send your check
to the Hoop Shoot Hall of Fame Fund at 2750 N. Lakeview Ave., Chicago, Il
60614-1889.