Gus Macker is making a comeback

MORRISON – Check out this rebound.

After nearly 10 years since Gus Macker was last in town, April House Children's Advocacy Center in Morrison is getting the Sauk Valley back in the game.

The popular 3-on-3 basketball tournament will return from around 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 17 and 18 at Northland Mall, 2900 E Lincolnway in Sterling. Early registration will be from 4 to 7 p.m. June 16.

Kristina Kaecker, governing board president for April House and a previous participant of Gus Macker, said the tournament has been away long enough for people to get really excited about it again.

In previous years, the event was put on by the Sterling High School Athletic Booster Club and the YMCA.

Previous fundraisers for April House have included golf outings, painting classes and dueling pianos, but organizers wanted to "find a fundraiser that people would be excited about," said Johanna Hager, executive director of April House.

Those events were great, but they "wanted to do something different," Kaecker said. She added that the tournament will be more family friendly this time around.

Many participants thought past tournaments could get pretty heated, she said. This year, they are hiring professional referees, so it is no longer a "you call it" game.

There will be a men's court, a women's court and the dream court for kids ages 5 to 13.

The event will call for of at least 150 volunteers for each day of the tournament. Volunteers will help with security, score keeping, setup and registration.

Walmart has partnered with the tournament to send some of its employees through the Volunteerism Always Pays program. They will then donate an hourly wage back to April House, almost as if the employees got paid to work that day.

Kaecker said April House's goal is to spread awareness about the facility and any funds raised after they cover the cost of the tournament would be a bonus. She hopes to have more than 300 teams participate. At its largest, the tournament had 1400 teams.

Proceeds will support April House in its mission to help victims of sexual and physical abuse in Whiteside County.

Four years ago, the center was close to shutting down due to a lack in state funding and mounting bills, but through fundraisers and community donations, it was able to stay open.

Kaecker said there has "been a good response from community" about the event so she is hopeful everything will come together.

MORE ABOUT THE MACKER

Go to macker.com/local/sterling-il to register your team by May 29.

Not a basketball player? The event will call for of at least 150 volunteers each day of the tournament. Volunteers will help with security, score keeping, setup and registration. Go to shawurl.com/311k to help.

Contact Kristina Kaecker at 815-625-6300 for more information.