On Thursday, November 17th at three o’clock, the Hunterdon Central Red Cross club hosted their second annual volleyball tournament fundraiser. This tournament raised money for the Red Cross and their many initiatives to help improve our community, surrounding communities, and on a larger scale, our country. They host many fundraising and volunteering events to discuss and inform others about ways we can help our struggling peers. 

     The Red Cross organization was founded in 1881 by a woman named Clara Barton. Barton risked her life to help soldiers in need during the Civil War. She led the Red Cross organization for 23 years after founding it, and it continues its life-saving work to this day. The main purpose of the Red Cross is to help people; as the mission statement declares, it “prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies”. Members of this organization selflessly donate blood, help with disaster relief, assist those struggling with famine, and much more. Many high schools give students the opportunity to reach out to their communities from their own campus by incorporating Red Cross clubs into their activities list. These clubs help with community outreach and set up blood drives and other charity events. Members of Red Cross clubs throughout the nation stand for kindness, gratitude, and selflessness. Hunterdon Central’s Red Cross club is run by Señor Saks and has great student involvement. Many charity and fundraising events, one of which is the Red Cross Volleyball Tournament, which returned for its second run on November 17th, 2022, are held throughout the year. 

     The annual Red Cross Volleyball Tournament is an event with the purpose of not only fundraising for the Red Cross association but also improving a sense of community. This year’s event was filled with spirit, sportsmanship, and leadership. There were a total of thirteen teams that signed up to play with each player paying an entry fee of two dollars. Each team had up to eight players and played approximately two to five games, held in both the freshman and sophomore gyms. Each team had a team color and they were all assigned brackets. The teams were not limited to grade level, age, or Red Cross membership status. The tournament was open to any students who were interested. School volleyball players acted as referees and members of the Red Cross club even played against the teams. 

     Bronwyn Downey, a freshman and devoted volleyball lover, had many great things to say about the tournament.  “I’m really happy with how many people turned up to compete. People from every grade did really well and there was a ton of sportsmanship that I haven’t seen anywhere else.” It is clear that this year’s tournament was a blast for everyone involved.

     Overall, the Red Cross Volleyball Tournament and fundraiser was a great success. Raising over two hundred dollars from entry fees alone and encouraging sportsmanship and improving the overall sense of community amongst many students of all grade levels and ages, this event is a great example of the good that the Red Cross club can do. The Red Cross organization provides community service, disaster relief, and healthcare assistance. Our school’s club provides similar services, especially locally. They have done many recent events, including a blood drive earlier this year and have other events coming up. Anyone who would like to know more about the club’s upcoming events or would like to join should contact our advisor Señor Saks. It’s a great way to make a positive difference within the Hunterdon Central community.