Community's biggest fundraising event supporting 100 nonprofits during Match Madness
Taylor Swift isn't the only one who has made 13 their favorite number, as the 13th edition of Salina's biggest fundraising event is happening for one 24-hour period this week.
Happening all day online and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in person at the Salina Fieldhouse and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Prickly Pear, the Greater Salina Community Foundation (GSCF) is collecting donations for the 2024 Match Madness on Thursday, March 21.
With 100 local nonprofits participating, donors have plenty of options to choose from to give their money to, and to have it matched up to 50%.
"Thanks to some incredibly generous donors, we have $313,000 in matching to share with (these) local organizations," said Jessica Martin, president and executive director of the Greater Salina Community Foundation.
Join the festivities in person during Match Madness
GSCF will be on hand, along with 74 of the local nonprofits, for 12 hours at the Salina Fieldhouse, 140 N. Fifth St., to collect donations in person and to let donors know about the causes and organizations that the funding goes to support at each of the nonprofit booths.
From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. food trucks will be located in the parking lot at the Fieldhouse for people looking to donate and grab a quick lunch or dinner.
Once again this year, Saline County area fifth graders will make their way throughout the school day, visit with 10 to 15 nonprofit booths, and given $10 to donate to the nonprofit of their choice, all of which will be matched for a total of $15 given by each student.
Throughout the day, all of the participating nonprofits will have a chance to take part in the Bill Grevas Memorial Free Throw Contest, sponsored by Bennington State bank, where a representative will be given one minute to shoot free throws. Each shot made, up to 13, will be worth $10 for a total of $130 of bonus grants.
Beginning at 5:15 p.m., the BE Wealth Half Court Shot for Charity event will take place, with each organization competing in a half-court shot contest, with the winner receiving a $1,300 bonus grant.
Finally, the in-person day ends with the after party from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at The Prickly Pear Grill and Cantina, 123 S. Santa Fe Ave. In addition to more opportunities for in-person donations, partygoers can partake in free appetizers, a cash bar, watching college basketball tournament games on TVs and "selfies with Taylor."
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Many ways to donate on March 21 during Match Madness
For more information about this year's GSCF Match Madness event, including a schedule of events and a list of participants and a printable donation form, visit www.matchmadnessgscf.org.
Anyone who wants to make a donation during Match Madness has several options to do so on March 21.
To donate in person, come to the Salina Fieldhouse from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or Prickly Pear from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. From midnight to 11:59 p.m. donations can be made online at the Match Madness website.
Finally, cash or check donations, with a completed donation form can be mailed to the foundation at P.O. Box 2876, Salina Kansas 67402-2876. To count toward the Match Madness event, including the up to 50% match, mailed donations must be postmarked on March 21, 2024.
This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Salina coming out to support 100 local nonprofits during Match Madness
