Story by Kaylynne Yorkhill, Noah Bernier and Carolos Whebe / Bristol Eastern High School
Basketball is a sport that brings people of all ages and abilities together.
No matter what the final score is, teams walk off the court knowing that they can truly make a difference.
One tournament that proved this is The Make It Different Basketball Tournament where 16 teams from all over Connecticut gathered to compete and help raise money for the Southington youth basketball association.
“And so that's why we’re here, we're here to just give back what we’ve been given, and that was a gift. “
What really sets this event apart from others is the meaning behind it.
In 2018, a devastating car accident took the lives of three young men. With this loss in the community, Deborah Garner was inspired to create the Ty Harris scholarship fund in honor of her son.
“It really is like love is the foundation for everything that we’re doing, and Ty loved people, and people loved him and that's why the community is here to support him.”
With The Make It Different Tournament, the community came together to support them and what they loved most, basketball
“There’s a lot of people that came out to watch us play for a good cause”
Despite the heartbreaking loss, the spirit at the tournament was uplifting.
To make a donation to the Ty Harris Scholarship Fund and to find out more information about The Make it Different basketball tournament please visit TyLivesFoundation.org.