The Swish-Out Childhood Cancer Challenge, a charitable basketball tournament organized by Town & Country Federal Credit Union, finished on a high note by netting a record $61,000 in the final edition of the annual fundraiser.
That brings the total amount raised to $750,000 since 1994.
Proceeds support the Maine Children’s Cancer Program of the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, at Maine Medical Center in Portland. The program is a treatment center for children diagnosed with cancer and blood disorders.
Money from the tournament goes to programs and services that insurance doesn’t cover, according to Jon Paradise, a senior vice president at Town & Country who founded the event 30 years ago.
Nearly 200 players took to the court for Sunday’s “last hoopla” at the University of Southern Maine’s Gorham campus. More than 45 teams participated in the adult and youth divisions, with eight champions crowned.
“This is such a great example of how the community comes together to make a difference,” Paradise said.
Grateful for the support over the past three decades, he added, “It’s been like an annual family reunion with so many people playing year after year so I will certainly miss that, but I wanted to end on a high note and we certainly have.”
Paradise also noted that while the annual Swish-Out has been Maine’s longest, continuously running, three-on-three, co-ed, charity basketball tournament in Maine, the time has come to “pass the ball” to other for new fundraisers and events.
“While I remain deeply committed to MCCP and doing all that I can for this great organization, I will do so in other ways,” he said.
Town & Country FCU, headquartered in Scarborough, is ranked No. 4 among Maine-based credit unions in the 2024 Mainebiz Book of Lists. The rankings are based on total assets as of Sept. 30, 2023.