{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"The News Journal","provider_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net","title":"Delivering baskets ... on and off the court &ndash; The News Journal","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"UQDMXVngKE\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/delivering-baskets-on-and-off-the-court\/\">Delivering baskets &#8230; on and off the court<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/delivering-baskets-on-and-off-the-court\/embed\/#?secret=UQDMXVngKE\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Delivering baskets &#8230; on and off the court&#8221; &#8212; The News Journal\" data-secret=\"UQDMXVngKE\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/400302923_684695993640710_6914138999512938120_n.jpg","thumbnail_width":275,"thumbnail_height":206,"description":"For Whitley County High School Boys\u2019 Basketball Coach Eric Swords and Whitley County Health Department Health Educator Ashley Lawson, the new Hoops School outreach program for children in the Williamsburg Housing Authority is something personal for them. \u201cI grew up in Brush Arbor. I kind of understand what it is like,\u201d said Swords. \u201cYou are trying to just pass it forward, and hope you inspire somebody to, if they get out and make it, they want to give back to others.\u201d Lawson also grew up poor but in the housing authority in Corbin. When she is at any of the housing authorities, she tries to give back and let people know about community resources that are potentially available to them. \u201cI am passionate about it (Hoops School) just like he (Swords) is,\u201d Lawson said. The Hoops School program is kind of like a big brother program. \u201cWe are trying to mentor the kids. This summer we came out and played basketball with the kids and shot around,\u201d Swords said estimating that there were probably about 30 children involved over the summer. \u201cThese kids we went out to this summer, they thrived from hearing stories about how you can have whatever life you want if you make good choices,\u201d Lawson added. \u201cWe just want people to know you aren\u2019t stuck where you are. You can have whatever kind of life you want. I really feel passionate about sports. I feel that ball can save children sometimes no matter what circumstance they are in.\u201d The day before Thanksgiving Day over a dozen members of the Whitley County High School Boys\u2019 Basketball Team, Swords, and Lawson were all busy with baskets only this time, they weren\u2019t the ones on a basketball court. The group delivered 20 Thanksgiving food baskets to Williamsburg Housing Authority residents at Brush Arbor and Mackey Avenue. The food baskets had ham and all of the fixings for a Thanksgiving meal. \u201cFor Thanksgiving, we tried to include the Hoops School kids first, and then get out to everybody else,\u201d Swords said. Lawson said that one of the boys, who was in the program this summer and loved it, excitedly greeted them saying, \u201cWhere have you all been? Why haven\u2019t you been back?\u201d Swords said that for Christmas, his players will probably either come out and serve a meal to the Hoops School kids or possibly do Shop with a Colonel and take a few of the kids Christmas shopping. In addition to playing basketball and feeding the Hoops School kids, Swords noted that all of them can attend Whitley County High School basketball games for free and any of the team\u2019s youth camps or youth leagues for free. This includes students that might not attend school in the Whitley County School District. The Hoops School children range in ages from first grade through middle school age. The high school players said that it felt good to give back to their community before Thanksgiving. \u201cWe just gave out some Thanksgiving baskets full of food. It can be hard to afford food at times like this. We are just trying to give back. It feels good to give back,\u201d said senior Dre Ellis, who has family members that live in the housing authority. Aaron Rowe, a junior, said that it meant a lot to him to help others right before Thanksgiving. \u201cI come from the south end of the county. There are a lot of families that struggle. It is nice to see that in high school you can give back to the community that you came from,\u201d Rowe said. Lawson noted that it was humbling to see teenage boys go knock on doors to give someone a meal. Swords added that this helps his players with life lessons and also teaches them about being grateful for what they have. \u201cIt also helps them seeing the need to give back. No matter what these guys become, if they don\u2019t give back a little bit to other people, then what are we really helping accomplish?\u201d Swords asked. Lawson said that giving a family or a struggling mom or dad a meal can be a real game changer for them. \u201cSome people don\u2019t have a warm meal. They don\u2019t have anyone during the holidays. It is a big deal,\u201d she added. Last week\u2019s food baskets were the result of a group effort between the basketball team and Lawson by getting donations for smaller items from players and their families among others. The basketball team purchased the hams out of funds from the program. Maiden Drug also sent in a donation to help pay for some of the food."}