Swishes for Wishes!

People of all ages take their best shots for charity Even though the Penn men's basketball team didn't have an official practice Tuesday, they still shot hoops all afternoon. In fact, all week team members have been helping out at the Swishes for Wishes miniature basketball court set up on College Green. Swishes for Wishes is a fund raiser for the Make-a-Wish foundation of Philadelphia. Students pay a dollar to shoot three free throws, and all of the proceeds go to the charity. If participants hit two of the shots, they receive a raffle ticket. And if they make all three, they also win a Slinky. The raffle's grand prize is for a trip for two to New Orleans. Students can also donate a dollar and have a basketball team member shoot for them. The fund raiser is the brainchild of Wharton senior Michele Wisch, who started a similar program at her high school in New York. Wisch said she came up with the idea when she worked as manager of her high school boys' basketball team and also as a volunteer for her local Make-a-Wish foundation. "I wanted to do something at school to get the team involved," she explained. "I've been doing it here since my sophomore year." According to Wisch, she took a management course her sophomore year co-taught by basketball coach Fran Dunphy. She brought the program up as part of a class project. She said Dunphy "really encouraged" her to bring the program to the University. "The basketball team has been completely supportive of it," she added. And for team members, the fund raiser is more than an opportunity to hang out and shoot some hoops. Team member Ira Bowman, a Wharton senior, said the group enjoys the opportunity to play basketball and raise money at the same time. "Whenever you get a chance to do something that's a lot of fun and you can help somebody at the same time, why not jump at the chance?" he said. "It's something that's good and people should stop by and have fun with it." Team members signed up in shifts to help on the court -- but many decided to stay longer, team member Tim Krug said. "We all just come out here and stay for hours," the College senior explained. "Whenever I have a free couple of hours I come out here and make a big ruckus." According to Dunphy, the team is committed to helping "those who are less fortunate than we are." He added that he thinks the team has a responsibility to the community to make life "better and easier" for others. "We are very fortunate to be involved in college athletics, and we're looking to help others and appreciate our responsibilities," Dunphy said. "And it involves something we love to do." Before this year, Wisch said, Swishes for Wishes had been held outside of Steinberg-Dietrich Hall using a "Playskool-type court." But this year, Wisch said she was able to obtain sponsorship from Computer Associates, a company supportive of the Make-a-Wish foundation. "They supplied the court, the T-shirts, the instant prizes and the trip for two to New Orleans," she said. "And the Phillies, the Sixers and Adidas all contributed raffle prizes." Also new this year are "shooting stars" -- Philadelphia celebrities who come shoot at different times during the week. Three local television personalities came on Monday and Tuesday, and University President Judith Rodin was out there yesterday afternoon, "shooting the rock" with the best of them. Wharton senior Marisa Carson, who helped Wisch start the program, said Rodin's appearance helped call attention to the fund raiser. "It was definitely a very special feeling that she felt highly enough of the organization to take a little moment out of her time to spend with us," Carson said. "It did a lot for her, for the University and for Make-a- Wish." Today, Mayor Ed Rendell is scheduled to appear at 2 p.m. to lend his support. The money raised by Swishes for Wishes goes to the Philadelphia chapter of the Make-a-Wish foundation. According to Krista Friedrich, executive director of Philadelphia Make-a-Wish, the money raised this year will help send a child with a life-threatening illness on vacation with his family. "It's going to grant the wish of Timmy, who is seven years old and from West Philadelphia," she explained. "He and his family are going to Disney World in July." She explained that the Make-a-Wish foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to granting the wishes of children diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses.