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Volunteer Proclamation 4/12/91 [OA 6897]
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Volunteer Proclamation 4/12/91 [OA 6897]
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Speech Backup Chronological Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Backup Files
Subseries:
Chron Files, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13751
Folder ID Number:
13751-008
Folder Title:
Volunteer Proclamation 4/12/91 [OA 6897]
Stack:
Row:
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26
21
3
4
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
SCHEDULE OF THE PRESIDENT
FOR
GLENARDEN, MARYLAND
APRIL 12, 1991
EVENTS:
Discussion with Midnight Basketball Participants
Proclamation Signing Ceremony for Points of Light National
Celebration of Community Service
DRESS:
Men
- Business Suit
Women
- Day Dress
CONTACTS:
Presidential Advance Office
Jay Parmer
- 202/456-7565
Trip Coordinator
Kris Goodwin
- 202/456-7565
ADVANCE:
Tim Simonson
- LEAD
Peter Gaillard
- PRESS
Ken Huffer
- USSS
Skip Boddy
- WHCA
David Bonwit
- MIL. AIDE
Lee Viverette
- HMX
WEATHER:
Cloudy/Mid 70's
SCHEDULE OF THE PRESIDENT
FOR
GLENARDEN, MARYLAND
APRIL 12, 1991
GUEST AND STAFF INSTRUCTIONS:
1:15 pm
Van departs West Basement
for those Guests and
Staff manifested on
Nighthawk II from
Pentagon Landing Zone.
1:30 pm
Those Guests and Staff
manifested on Nighthawk
II should arrive
Pentagon Landing Zone at
this time for check-in.
1:40 pm
Those manifested on Marine
One please proceed to
South Lawn for boarding.
1:45 pm
THE PRESIDENT boards Marine One and departs
White House en route Glenarden Woods
Elementary School Landing Zone, Glenarden,
Maryland.
HELICOPTER ASSIGNMENTS:
Marine One:
THE PRESIDENT
A. Card
G. Petersmeyer
M. Fitzwater
D. Valdez
B. Caughman
Doctor
Mil. Aide
2 USSS
Nighthawk II:
S. Rogich
M. Lukens
Col. Hawes
Medic
WHCA T.O.
7 USSS
(Flying Time: 10 Minutes)
NOTE:
Nighthawk II will depart
from Pentagon Landing Zone.
1:55 pm
THE PRESIDENT arrives Glenarden Woods
Elementary School Landing Zone and proceeds
to Motorcade.
2:00 pm
THE PRESIDENT boards Motorcade and departs
Glenarden Woods Elementary School Landing
Zone en route Glenarden Community Center.
MOTORCADE ASSIGNMENTS:
Lead
T. Simonson
Spare
B. Caughman
Doctor
LIMO
THE PRESIDENT
Follow Up
Control
A. Card
Mil. Aide
Page Two
Support
M. Fitzwater
S. Rogich
M. Lukens
Official Photographer
Medic
WHCA
Staff I
G. Petersmeyer
Staff Van
All Remaining Staff
Press Van I
J. Herrick
Press Van II
(Drive Time: 5 Minutes)
2:05 pm
THE PRESIDENT arrives Glenarden Community Center
and proceeds to Holding Room.
Met by:
The Honorable Marty Madden (R)
State Delegate, Maryland
The Honorable John Morgan (R)
State Delegate, Maryland
The Honorable and Mrs. Marvin Wilson (Verley) (D)
Mayor of Glenarden
The Honorable Paris Glendening (D)
Prince Georges County Executive
Mr. and Mrs. G. Van Standifer (Martha)
Founder and President, Midnight Basketball League,
Inc.
2:08 pm
THE PRESIDENT arrives Holding Room and holds
briefly.
Page Three
NOTE:
THE PRESIDENT will be fitted with a
lavalier microphone at this time.
2:10 pm
THE PRESIDENT departs Holding Room and proceeds
to Classroom.
EVENT:
DISCUSSION WITH MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL PARTICIPANTS
POOL COVERAGE
LAVALIER MICROPHONE
2:11 pm
THE PRESIDENT arrives Classroom and begins
participation in Discussion.
2:16 pm
THE PRESIDENT concludes participation in
Discussion, departs Classroom, and,
accompanied by Mr. Standifer, proceeds to
Off-Stage Announcement Area.
NOTE:
The Off-Stage Announcement Area
is inside Holding Room.
2:17 pm
THE PRESIDENT, accompanied by Mr. Standifer,
arrives Off-Stage Announcement Area and holds
briefly.
NOTE:
The lavalier microphone will be
removed at this time.
EVENT:
PROCLAMATION SIGNING CEREMONY FOR POINTS
OF LIGHT NATIONAL CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY
SERVICE
OPEN PRESS
OFF-STAGE ANNOUNCEMENT
Page Four
BRIEF REMARKS
PROCLAMATION SIGNING
GIFT PRESENTATION
2:20 pm
THE PRESIDENT, accompanied by Mr. Standifer,
is announced into Gymnasium and proceeds to
Toast Lectern.
2:22 pm
THE PRESIDENT is introduced for Brief Remarks
by Mr. G. Van Standifer, Founder and President,
Midnight Basketball League, Inc.
2:24 pm
THE PRESIDENT gives Brief Remarks.
2:30 pm
THE PRESIDENT concludes Brief Remarks and
begins participation in Proclamation
Signing.
2:32 pm
THE PRESIDENT concludes Signing and begins
participation in Gift Presentation.
2:34 pm
THE PRESIDENT concludes participation in
Gift Presentation, departs Gymnasium, and proceeds
to Holding Room.
2:35 pm
THE PRESIDENT arrives Holding Room and
holds briefly.
2:37 pm
THE PRESIDENT departs Holding Room and proceeds
to Motorcade.
Page Five
2:40 pm
THE PRESIDENT boards Motorcade and departs
Glenarden Community Center en route Glenarden
Woods Elementary School Landing Zone.
MOTORCADE ASSIGNMENTS:
Same as on Arrival.
(Drive Time: 5 Minutes)
2:45 pm
THE PRESIDENT arrives Glenarden Woods
Elementary School Landing Zone and proceeds to
board Marine One.
2:50 pm
THE PRESIDENT departs Glenarden, Maryland
en route White House.
HELICOPTER ASSIGNMENTS:
Same as on Arrival.
(Flying Time: 10 Minutes)
3:00 pm
THE PRESIDENT arrives White House.
Page Six
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
April 12, 1991
POINTS OF LIGHT NATIONAL CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Marked by a sense of hope and renewal, Spring is a fitting
time to honor the millions of Americans who engage in voluntary
service to others. Across the United States, people of every
age, race, and walk of life are taking direct and consequential
action to help solve serious social problems such as drug abuse,
illiteracy, and homelessness. These Americans are planting the
seeds of positive change in their communities and sowing a rich
crop for the future.
Voluntary service in America takes a variety of forms.
Countless Americans give of their time individually. In
addition, millions of Americans now volunteer through innovative
corporate programs and special school-based projects. And there
are those generous individuals who work on behalf of major
nonprofit organizations and local charities. During this
National Celebration of Community Service, we salute all of
these caring citizens.
This nationwide observance underscores the fact that
everyone has a gift to give -- that every act of kindness
counts. For example, in Polk, Nebraska, a group of third grade
students telephones homebound senior citizens each day, offering
a bright source of companionship and cheer. The founders of the
"Midnight Basketball" program in Hyattsville, Maryland,
contribute to the struggle against crime and delinquency by
offering late-night sports activities and tutorial sessions for
disadvantaged youngsters. Through the "Let's Help" program in
Topeka, Kansas, volunteers provide needy families with literacy
training, job counseling, and advice on parenting, as well as
food and financial support. All of these volunteers and others,
the brilliant "Points of Light" that reflect our national
conscience and illuminate our country's social landscape, are
making a profound difference.
Every American has something to contribute, and none should
be content until we have found a way to serve. To be of service
is not only to meet someone else's needs, it is not only to
fulfill one of our primary responsibilities as citizens and
neighbors -- it is to find the joy and meaning in life that come
only from selflessness and giving.
Today more and more Americans have come to see that any
definition of a successful life must include serving others. So
many of our citizens are beginning to recognize the talents,
more
(OVER)
2
resources, and interests they have to share. Let us salute all
those Americans who carry on the time-honored tradition of
voluntary service, and let us strengthen our own commitment
to enriching the lives of others -- and our own -- through
service.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested
in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do
hereby proclaim the period of April 15 through April 26, 1991,
as Points of Light National Celebration of Community Service.
This special tribute to the spirit of service in America and to
the millions of Americans who embody that spirit encompasses
traditional National Volunteer Week events and numerous other
activities in which all Americans -- young and old alike -- are
encouraged to engage. I ask all Americans to join in saluting
and thanking our Nation's volunteers, as well as the
organizations -- religious, governmental, business, and private
nonprofit -- that support and participate in community service.
I also encourage every American to observe this week with
appropriate events and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twelfth
day of April
, in the year of our
Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-one, and of the Independence
of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth.
GEORGE BUSH
# # #
SENT BY:Xerox Telecopier 7021 : 3-13-91 :11:59AM ;
2024085169-
2024566244;# 2
CELEBRATION OF SERVICE
In mid-April, the Points of Light Foundation will sponsor a
thirteen-day Points of Light Celebration of Service to honor those
Americans who are meeting today's social challenges through
community service and to call on the rest of America to join this
essential cause. During each day of this Celebration, public
attention will be focused on ordinary Americans who are making an
extraordinary difference through community service.
Rundy Trains - POL
there come- a pt.
do it cos its right
what's
If you see a wrong
f try to make it request
you will be a POL
THE WHITE HOUSE
washington
shoot hoop,
not drugs,
people, each other
coachy of junior coureges
have been coming to this
games
-
feel that we they are having
an impact on the market
see police statistics
1
"long, hot Snarmer night
1
- -trade and technical schools
- Motivate them
using energies
no structure in his life
j
From:
Tracey Taylor
ONS- Room 100
X 6066
N
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BASKETBAL 4w E
were
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A
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"THE ALTERNATIVE"
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 1990
The President today named The Midnight Basketball League, Inc. of
Hyattsville, Maryland as the one hundred twenty-fourth "Daily
Point of Light." This initiative, a late night summer basketball
league, is committed to teaching teenagers discipline and
teamwork.
The Midnight Basketball League was initiated by G. Van Standifer,
the former town manager, in response to escalating crime rates
and drug related activities in the Glenarden township. He
recognized that basketball is a magnet which may be used to lure
young adults off the street and into a productive environment.
Since its founding, incoming reports of crimes have dropped by 60
percent.
The program operates between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., three
nights weekly during the summer months. Young men between the
ages of 17 and 21 are eligible to participate. The League is
supported by members of the law enforcement community, many of
whom actively participate as coaches and referees. Local
business community members donate funds and sponsor teams.
The league coordinates three games each night and professionals
offer workshops on the dangers of drug involvement and
educational opportunities between each game. An additional
benefit is the large spectator attendance the games attract.
Young people who would ordinarily congregate on street corners
now meet in the Glenarden Community Center Gym. The
participants' competitive spirit compels them to stay off drugs
in order to play well.
The President salutes the Midnight Basketball League as the one
hundred twenty-fourth "Daily Point of Light." Daily Point of
Light recognition is intended to call every individual, group,
and organization in America to claim society's problems as their
own by taking direct and consequential action; to identify,
enlarge, and multiply successful initiatives, like the Midnight
Basketball League; and to discover, encourage, and develop new
leaders in community service, reflecting the President's
conviction that, "From now on in America, any definition of a
successful life must include serving others."
# # #
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tracey Taylor or Robert Marbut
(202) 456-6266
MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL LEAGUE CITIES April 5, 1991
(Cities that have joined the National Association of Midnight
Basketball Leaques)
Washington, D.C.
Neptune, N.J.
New York City
Datona Beach, Fla.
Chicago, Ill
Atlanta, Ga.
Austin, Texas
Topeka. Kansas
Hartford, Conn.
Prince George's County MD.
(Cities belived to be close to joining the NAMBL)
Charles County Maryland
Rochester, N.Y.
Cleveland, Ohio
Sacramento, Calif.
Detroit, Mich.
Takoma, Wash.
Durham, N.C.
Miami, Fla.
Fairmont, N.C.
Jolliet, Ill.
Kalamazoo, Mich.
Little Rock, Ark.
Louisville, Ky.
Melbourne, Fla.
New Orleans, La.
D
N
I
C
MIDNIGHT
H
M
L
BASKETBALL
T
BASKETBALL
E
LEAGUE
E
IS BACK!
A
G
10 pm to 2 am Every Tuesday, Wednesday
and Thursday Night.
Special NBA-Style Draft for Team
Assignment.
Thirty-five (35) Individual Trophies.
Just $10 Registration Fee.
Scho larship Awards
Truck Driving School
Auto Mechanic School
Diesel Mechanic School
First Come First Served
17-21 Years of Age and a Resident of
Prince George's County
Don't Miss Out this Year.
Register Now!
For More Information, Call
-5-
AN OVERVIEW OF THE MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL LEAGUE, INC.
The Midnight Basketball League of Prince Georges County, Maryland, evolved
in 1986 from the concept of a troubled town manager into a nationally
recognized community-based program beginning its third year in 1988.
G. Van Standifer initiated the program, a late night summer basketball league
for older teens, in response to escalating crime rates and evidence of drug
related activities in the Glenarden township. The Midnight Basketball League
was funded entirely by the local business community and staffed by volunteers.
During the initial summer, the program operated without incident and with
increasing public support. In fact, it proved to be a great source of pride
even for those who opposed it at the beginning. county-wide.
Today, the League is embraced by the law enforcement community, county political
leaders and most important, by the young people and families it serves. One of
the unexpected and telling spillover benefits is spectator attendance to
games: Young people who would ordinarily congregate on dangerous street corners
meet in the Glenarden Community Center gym where they are supervised by adults,
and where they are safe
An unwritten, but enforced code of behavior prevails.
The Midnight Basketball League is managed by founder and President, G. Van
Standifer, the former Glenarden Town Manager. The program operates between
10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., three nights weekly during summer months. The MBL
season is divided into regular and championship tournament sessions. Coaching
is on a volunteer basis and tends to draw high school coaches, corrections
officers and others from the law enforcement community. Young men between
the ages of 16 and 21 are eligible, with proof of county residence, on a first-
come first-reserved basis.
Highlights of the program as it is structured curently include the "MBL Draft"
during which players are selected for teams, and the final awards program following
the championship game. Celebrity guest appearances lend excitement and the
addition of informal workshops attractive to the players will enhance the
appeal of the league.
The future of the MBL is contingent upon the continuing need for common sense,
late night alernative programming for young adults, and the continuing
financial support from the private sector. Although the league may receive
formal funding from Prince George's County for calendar year 1989, support
from businesses remains critical.
In terms of operations, the MBL must address several issues: First, the
institutionalization of the organization with paid staff to meet the demands
of fundraising, site management and volunteer coordination. Second, to better
access the market it targets-- the troubled, idle teen who can benefit from
the relationships the program fosters. Third, locating and financing the use
of alternate, larger sites to accommodate the already overflowing crowd. Fourth,
future expansion into other metro-Washington jurisdictions requesting the program.
These issues must be faced in the long term. The immediate task is to keep 0
much needed program running smoothly.
THE
MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL
LEAGUE
Why It
Works
The four-hour period (10:00 PM - 2:00 AM) scheduled for our summer program occurs when temptations to crime
and drug activity are greatest.
Basketball is the sport of choice for the target population.
Basketball is an activity in which both individual talent and group teamwork are necessary to achieve the desired
result.
The front-end commitment of youth to the program and the discipline and rewards system within the program
provides players with a sense of pride and accomplishment.
National Basketball Association-style draft at the beginning of each season spreads talent over all teams, and
insures a maximum degree of competition within each league.
The mandatory use of all players in each game and required man-to-man defense insures a high degree of
participation and physical activity.
The high ratio of adults to youth (1:6) and the fact that all coaches are volunteers combine to communicate a
sense of concern and commitment to those participating in the program.
This summer recreational program for post-high youth begins at a time of rapid and often difficult transition in
one's education and employment, continues over four such summers and affords young adults an opportunity to
learn from the experiences of their peers in a safe, supervised setting.
Media coverage of special MBL events, box scores in county newspapers three times weekly and interaction with
prominent law enforcement, sports and business leaders provides affirmation of youth.
A wide variety of workshops and scholarship opportunities available encourages the young adult to reflect on his
present life situation and future vocational goals.
Volunteer efforts of adults and financial and in-kind contributions of businesses cause Park and Planning dollars to
be multiplied several times over.
The program provides some part-time entry-level employment for youth of the various communities the league
serves.
We plan to expand to new locations throughout Prince George's County.
Midnight Basketball League, Inc.
DASKETBALO
P.O. Box 2982
Landover Hills Branch
Hyattsville, MD 20784
GLENARDEN MARYLAND INCOMING *REPORTS OF CRIMES
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1.417
1.661
1.911
793
770
Although this report is an attempt to show the impact that
the Midnight Basketball League (MBL) might have on reported
crimes in the town of Glenarden. the following considerations
must be kept in mind:
1. The MBL began its first season in the summer of 1986.
2. This report shows crimes reported for 2 full 12 month
period for each year.
S. The MBL operates June to August only.
4. 1 more comprehensive report BY tyde of crime. DV month and
08V of week and by age group :5 not available for 187 and
'88.
+ Source : Glenarden Police Department
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
P.O. BOX 2982
G. VAN STANDIFER
4
LANDOVER HILL, BR.
HEIDE GARDNER
HYATTSVILLE, MD 20784
PHIL CHENIER
(301) 772-1711
ALEXANDER WILLIAMS, JR
SYLVANIA WOODS, JR.
CLYDE W. BOLDS
FLOYD E. WILSON, JR.
MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL LEAGUE, INC.
ADRIAN GARDNER
March 6, 1990
All Midnight Basketball League (MBL)
Sponsoring Organizations
To Whom It May Concern :
If a community elects to use the enclosed logo and call
their program "Midnight Basketball League", the following
requirements cannot be changed or revised :
1.
The target group, 17 - 25 years of age.
2. No game may begin before 10:00 pm.
3. Two uniformed police officers must be assigned to each
game.
All other requirements excluding the rules of play may be
considered flexible.
If you have additional questions, feel free to call me at
any time.
Yours truly,
Standipic
G. Van Standifer, President
Enclosures
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
P O BOX 2982
G VAN STANDIFER
LANDOV BR
HEIDE GARDNER
HYATTSVILLE MD 20784
PHIL CHENIER
(301)772 1711
4
ALEXANDER WILLIAMS. JR
SYLVANIA WOODS JR
CLYDE W. BOLDS
FLOYD E. WILSON JR.
MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL LEAGUE, INC.
ADRIAN GARDNER
February 1, 1989
All Midnight Basketball League (MBL)
Sponsoring Organizations
To Whom It May Concern:
The enclosed information is intended to give a broad idea of
how the MBL operates. The operational handbook will be dist-
ributed as soon as it is completed.
The final determination of the relationship of the MBL to any
satellite program will depend on the legal clarification of
the two following issues:
1. The granting of licenses by a non-profit corporation.
2. Liability.
In the meantime I am enclosing the following information:
A. Guidelines for the establishment of a satellite program.
B. Form for draft scrimmage notes.
C. Copy of the MBL logo.
D. League Rules.
E. Form for the recording of playing time.
F. MBL organization chart.
G. Policy statement.
H. Estimated costs.
I. Position descriptions for key positions.
J. Guidelines for statements to the media by volunteer
coaches.
Yours Truly.
G.Van Standiper
G. Van Standifer President
Enclosures
H.
10f3
GUIDELINES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL LEAGUE
THE CONCEPT.
We have seen that huge blocks of free time in a drug permissive
environment equals increased levels of drug and alcohol abuse.
Clearly the free time must be at least a part of the problem,
especially in the wee hours of the morning. Therefore, if we
can use up some of that free time, we may be able to reduce
the level of increase of drug and alcohol abuse among our
young adults.
THE TARGET GROUP.
1. Older neglected teens, 17 - 21 years old.
2. School dropouts.
3. Jobless.
4. Probably not very good basketball players.
This does not mean that we go through the roster with the
intention of eliminating players who are on their way to
college. have a job or are good basketball players.
THE GOAL.
The MBL is not attempting to develop a polished product for
sale to the general public. Its existance is soley for the
gratification and satisfaction of its players. To provide
vigorous activity and to help these young adults to improve
self discipline.
ORIENTATION.
A special orientation session with both the officials and
the coaches should be held to emphasize the concept and goals
of the program. Coaches must understand that winning a game
is secondary in importance to playing all the players assigned
to him. Officials should not think of coaches as adversaries,
but rather as co-hosts in this venture to stop young adults
from self destruction. Individuals with big egos, coaches or
officials, do not do well in this program. The last part of
the orientation is devoted to interpretation of the rules.
1 of 3
H
41
2 of 3
REGISTRATION.
Registration is scheduled to begin at least one month before
the first draft. Announcements of the registration dates are
made on the radio, in the newspapers, on posters and flyers.
We never get the full complement of players at the first draft.
It appears that word of mouth by the players themselves is the
most effective mode of communication. The following table shows
our 3 year experience in this area.
No. of Players
No. of Players Total
At First Draft
At Second Draft Players
1986
21
39
60
1987
27
47
74
1988
37
47
84
Of course you do not publicise that you intend to have a second
draft. If you do you will probably need 3 drafts !!
THE DRAFT.
The draft consist of scrimmages and player selection. The purpose
of the draft is to allocate the talent as evenly as possible.
Teams are not permitted to enter the league intact. Each player
must participate in the controlled scrimmage so the coaches
can make an evaluation.
THE SCRIMMAGE.
Each player is issued a draft jersey, uniquely numbered and
reversable. Each coach is issued a draft evaluation form (copy
enclosed). For each scrimmage of 10 players, each coach must
enter 10 evaluations on his form. A favorable evaluation is
entered on the top half of the form while a less than favorable
evaluation is entered on the bottom half of the form. To the
extent that this procedure is followed exactly it will avoid
wasting time during the selection process.
PLAYER SELECTION.
The order of selection is determined by lottery and reversed
each round (i.e, the team with the first pick in the first round
would pick last in the second round etc.). As the selected
number is announced, the coaches remove that number from their
evaluation form. This procedure is repeated until all the registered
players have been assigned to a team. At the end of the draft
each coach gathers his players together in order to:
2 of 3
N
A.
a
M
30/ t 3
PLAYER SELECTION (CONTINUED)
1. Make sure that the draft jerseys are turned in.
2. Record the names and phone numbers of his players.
3. Determine the best time for his weekly 2 hour practice
session.
4. Give a copy of his team roster to the coaches coordinator.
3 of 3
D,
10+4
THE FOLLOWING RULES WILL BE IN EFFECT FOR THE 1989
MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL LEAGUE
1-1-89
1. Federation rules will be in effect.
2. No shooting except by players before the game and at
halftime.
3. There will be four (4) ten-minute quarters
with a maximum 5 minute halftime.
4.
The clock will stop for free throws, time-outs, and for
the last 2 minutes of the first and second half and
over-time periods, or at any time that the referee
indicates to the table to stop the clock.
5. Coaches are responsible for informing their players about
the rules.
6. A single flagrant foul, whether personal or technical,
will carry the same penalty of two shots, disqualification
and ball out-of-bounds.
7. All bench technical fouls are now charged to the offender
and to the head coach. (2 shots and 1 technical)
S. Players may not enter the game without the current league
jersey.
9. A player can participate with only one team in the league.
10. Teams should arrive 15 minutes prior to scheduled game
time.
11. Five players must be present for each team before a game
may start.
12. A 5-minute grace period is allowed for the first game
only.
13. Players are given five (5) personal fouls before fouling
out of a game.
(a) When a player fouls out of a game, leaving his team
with less than five (5) players, a substitute will
be allowed from any previously fouled-out player.
(b) Any player who has five (5) or more fouls and commits
a foul, the offended team will be awarded two free throws
and possesion of the ball at a spot as close to the
foul as possible.
(c) No team will be allowed to play with less than five
(5) plavers.
D.
2 2014
1-1-89
14. Each team will be allowed two (2) one-minute time-outs
per half and 1 for each over-time and no carry-over.
15. Each team will be allowed two (2) twenty-second time-outs
per half and 1 for each over-time and no carry-over.
16. Substitutes may enter when rules 4 and 15 are in effect
and when beckoned by the official.
17. The bonus foul shooting will begin on the tenth (10th)
team foul per half.
18. A coach, certified by the league, must be present at each
game.
19. Overtime will be an extension of the second (2nd) half
and will be three (3) minutes in duration.
20. An ejected player must leave the gym immediately or his
team will forfeit the game. He must sit out the next
game and at the discretion of the commissioner, may be
bar.red from the league.
21. Any repeated unsportsmanlike behavior will result in ejection
from the gym. This includes players, coaches and spectators.
22. No profanity will be tolerated.
23. No smoking, drugs or alcohol are permitted.
24. No radios, tapeplayers, cassettes or etc. permitted.
25. Two refrees from
will
officiate each game.
26. All players must be 17-21 years old as of
27. Players registration forms must be turned into the designated
league office prior to the first player draft.
28. Players under 18 must show parental signature on the
registration form.
29. Proof of age and residency is required.
30. Rosters are limited to twelve (12) players. The commissioner
maintains the waiting list.
D.
30f4
1-1-89
31. There will be a regular season champion and a tournament
champion.
32. Awards will be given at the awards picnic.
33. Rosters are closed after the 5th game of the season except
as approved by the commissioner,
34. Referee's judgement cannot be protested.
35. No zone defenses or zone presses allowed. A player must
-be within 4 ft. of an opponent. A team must play man to
man half court press at all times.
1st offense : Warning
Each subsequent offense : Team is assesed a one shot
techinical foul.
36. Trades are allowed through game 5 subject to the approval
of the players involved and the commissioner.
37. No student athletes.
38. The referee will not handle the ball on the throw-ins for
non-shooting fouls and back court violations prior to the
two minute warning. Player with the ball must place the
ball on the floor immediately.
39. No reserve player may enter a game unless approved by the
league at least 24 hours before game time.
40. To obtain league approval to activate a reserve player,
a coach must provide proof that a permanent vacancy has
occured on his roster.
41. All players present and eligible for a game must play at
least ten minutes.
(a) The participating coaches may obtain a copy of the
playing time record at the end of the 3rd quarter.
(b) The original playing time record will be forwarded
to the commissioner at the end of the game.
(c) If the commissioner determines that an eligible player
did not play a full ten minutes he must penalize the
offending team the forfeiture of any won game.
40F4
1-1-89
42. During the game, a coach may not be abusive to players on
the court.
(a) First offense: Warning.
(b) Each subsequent offense: Techinical foul.
43. Two or more players may double-team the ball but never
double-team a man with out the ball.
(a) First offense: Warning.
(b) Each subsequent offense: Team is assed a one shot
techinical foul.
44. At the end of each game participating players are required
to meet in the assembly room within 5 minutes.
Failure to meet the 5 minute deadline will result in a
player being declared ineligible to play in the next scheduled
game. If a player misses 2 workshop he will be declared
ineligible for the next two games.
45. Practices are mandatory. An inexcused absence from practice
renders a player ineligible for all games the following
week.
MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL LEAGUE, INC.
OF
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
BOARD
OF
DIRECTORS
COUNTY
ADVISORY
GOVERNMENT
BOARD
MNCPPC
LEGAL
COUNSEL
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
COMMISSIONER
PROGRAM
FACILITY
MANAGER
MANAGER
REFEREES
COACHES
PROGRAM
SECURITY
GYM
MANAGER'S
SUPERVISOR
AIDE
SCORE KEEPER
TIME KEEPER (2)
G,
MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL LEAGUE POLICY STATEMENT
TO ALL MBL COACHES:
The MBL was founded to provide constructive activities for older
teenagers during late night summer hours. Coaches are expected
to insure that each player participates vigorously in each game.
The young people who are the targets of this program are :
1. School dropouts.
2. Without a job.
3. Without previous team experience.
Therefore the greatest benefit that they can derive from this
program is an improvement in self discipline.
Coaches can best apply this precept by insisting that the players
properly execute the most basic & fundamental plays. (such as
making a lay-up and man to man defense)
The warm-ups, before a game and at half-time, should be a series
of disciplined activities. Players should not be conversing
with spectators on the sidelines or doing anything other than
concentrating on the current activity.
The 1987 MBL has the following goals.
By the end of the season every youngster in the program will
know :
1. The proper technique to execute a lay-up shot.
2. How to participate in a warm-up session.
Failure to achieve these modest goals would mean that we have
wasted an opportunity to help these young people to improve
their self discipline.
G. Van Standifer, President
H.
N
January 31, 1989
ESTIMATED COST OF MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL LEAGUE OPERATIONS OUTSIDE
A MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION
FACILITY.
Program Manager
7.981/hr X 500 hrs
$ 3,990.50
Program, Manager's Aide 6.503/hr X 580 hrs
3,771.74
Score keeper
5.25/hr X 72 hrs
378.00
Time keeper
5.25/hr X 72 hrs X 2
756.00
Officiating
2,000.00
Security
3,000.00
Facility Manager
14.533/hr X 87 hrs
1,264.37
Gym Supervisor
4.00/hr X 199 hrs
796.00
League Aide
300.00
Trophies & Plaques
1,000.00
Equipment
500.00
Total
17,756.61 *
* Does not include :
1. General libility insurance.
2. Use of building.
3. Utilities.
4. Draft jerseys.
5. Team jerseys.
W
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RICHARD M. DALEY
MAYOR
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the Midnight Basketball League was established
in 1986 to provide a late night alternative to street crime; and
WHEREAS, the program conceived and implemented by G. Van
Standifer in Prince George's County, Maryland, led to a drop in
serious crime in the area; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Housing Authority recognizes the
need for programs that offer young men choices and opportunities;
and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Housing Authority has recruited 160
young men from Rockwell Gardens and Henry Horner Homes, to form
Chicago's first Midnight Basketball League; and
WHEREAS, dozens of individuals, churches and businesses
have come forward to coach and sponsor teams and donate services
and equipment; and
WHEREAS, Midnight Basketball League will have its
tip-off game at Malcolm X College in the City of Chicago on
February 6, 1990:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Richard M. Daley, Mayor of the City
of Chicago, do hereby proclaim February 6, 1990, to be MIDNIGHT
BASKETBALL DAY IN CHICAGO, and urge all citizens to be cognizant
of the events planned for this time.
Dated this 5th day of February, 1990.
Richard Mayor m Daley
Food
Elegant holiday buffet menu
Sun-Time
ARMER
Pages 2. 42
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1989
5
Sports Final
Midnight basketball: a cure for crime?
By Michael Gillis
CHA offers residents a sporting chance
"That's how you get them in. Once
have them in and they begin to work
The CHA wants to get young men in
their coaches and mentors, they will
public housing away from drug dealing
they are provided an alternative," said
Crime statistics show that most crimes
directed to other programs."
and fighting and into slam-dunking and
CHA spokeswoman Katie Kelly. "This
by that age group are committed between
Participants will be offered informa'
dribbling.
will provide that alternative and give
those times, CHA officials said.
on employment services, drug counse
Chairman Vincent Lane of the Chicago
young men something to do with their
The program is modeled after a similar
and GED classes, she said.
Housing Authority said Wednesday the
evenings and redirect their energy in a
one in Glenarden, Md. Crime rates there
"We want to expose them to new the
agency is creating a year-round midnight
positive way."
dropped significantly after that program
and reinforce in them the importance
basketball league at two high-crime devel-
The program, which will begin in Janu-
was implemented, according to G. Van
getting their lives together and keep
opments to give young men an alternative
ary, will enroll 80 young men between 17
Standifer, the former Glenarden town
them together and drug-free," Kelly 8.
to nighttime crime.
and 25 to play games between 10 p.m. and
manager who started the program.
The program will cost about $80,000
"We are beginning to reduce crime and
2 a.m. The program will begin at Rockwell
The program, however, is more than
its first year. The CHA has applied
drag-related activity, but it won't be long
Gardens, 2000 -W.- Jackson, and Henry
just tasketball.
federal housing officials for a $25,
before some people go back to that unless
Horner Homes, 1834 W. Jackson.
"Basketball is the hook," Kelly said.
grant to pay for part of the cost.
NVC Tribune, C. May 7, 1990
'Daily Points of Light' Give Life to President's Program
recognized in the Points of Light
BY CASSONDRA PHARES
Light program does not award the
New York City Tribune Staff
program it received 10 dump-truck
individuals or organizations named.
loads of dirt from a local nursery.
and therefore doesn't grant any ad-
A basketball league that keeps teen-
"Little things like that make such a
ditional funding.
agers off the streets and a center to
big difference to these groups," Taylor
But the program does give recog-
train foster parents for cocaine-addicted
added.
nition. Each person or group recognized
and AIDS babies are just a couple of
examples of organizations whose foun-
In Prince Georges County, Md.. G.
receives a letter from the president.
ders have been named as "Daily Points
Van Standifer was named a point of
Standifer said he is pleased to be
of Light" in President Bush's Thousand
light on April 23 for forming a Mid-
recognized by the White House. He
Points of Light program.
night Basketball League. During the
explained. "We have satellite programs
summer, teen-age boys gather to play in
around the country and they are
Every day, except Sundays and
the league from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. -
struggling in fund raising. We're hope-
holidays, Bush recognizes an initiative,
which means they're off the streets.
ful this recognition from the president
organization, group, or individual who
Many of the coaches and referees are
will help these programs."
is working towards solving the nation's
police officers, and serve as roie models
The Rev. Michael Wayne Lewis was
most critical social problems.
for the players.
named a point of light on Feb. 5. With
Tracey Taylor, Daily Point of Light
the help of his congregation. he trans-
coordinator, said she believes the pro-
'About Caring'
formed an abandoned crack house into
gram has been effective in creating
Faith House, a center that recruits and
public awareness of community prob.
Standifer said, "Midnight basketball
trains foster parents for cocaine-
lems. thereby giving people incentive to
is about caring. If a commnity doesn't
addicted and AIDS babies in Tampa,
get involved. "We speak to our points
care about these specific young adults
Fla.
of light after [they have been chosen]
[ages 17-25 years old] that's it - end of
Lewis said it is up to each
and they say they've seen results."
conversation."
organization to capitalize on the recog-
Such was the case with the Holy
Taylor said since the league was
nition they receive through the Points
Rosary Family Center, an initiative of
formed the crime rate in Prince Georges
of Light program.
Catholic Social Services in Columbus,
County has dropped 60 percent.
"It [the Points of Light program]
Ohio. that was named a point of light
She said in order for a group or an
doesn't give people incentive, but en-
on Feb. 8 for its dedication to helping
homeless families.
individual to be recognized as a point of
courages those grass roots
light they must be working to solve a
organizations already involved," he
Before being chosen as a point of
critical social problem in a systematized
said.
light, the center was trying to transform
way, as opposed to a "band-aid sol-
"I think it's a sincere effort," he
an old parking lot into a garden, but
ution." The program must have a
added.
was having trouble getting the necess-
record of success and it must have been
ary dirt.
However, he said those who have
operating for at least 1 year.
been recognized should be listed as a
Taylor said that after the center was
Taylor explained that the Points of
primary focus for additional funding.
THE WASHINGTON POST
Chicago Wins
In Midnight
Championship
Edges P.G. All-Stars
THE PRINCE GEORGE'S JOURNAL FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1990
By Andrew M. Backover
Special to The Washington Post
The Midnight Basketball League
took it to the hoop last night as the
Midnight league
Chicago All-Stars defeated the
Prince George's County All-Stars,
84-83, in the league's first national
championship game at Novak Field
aoes national
House in Largo.
They squared off in the name of
defeating two of the country's most
formidable opponents: drug abuse
and unemployment.
During the summer months the
Basketball helps communities
Midnight Basketball League,
founded in 1986 by G. Van Standi-
By MARK STEWART
night Basketball League is literally
fer of Glenarden, encourages young:
Journal staff writer
going nationwide. Tonight at Prince
adults to stay off the streets by tak-
When the Midnight Basketball
George's Community College, the
ing to the court.
League started in 1986, it became an
Games are played three nights a
league will hold its first-ever national
week, between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.,
overnight sensation, so to speak.
championship between all-star
keeping kids away from the temp-
The next year, more teams joined,
teams from Prince George's County
tations of crime and giving them a
and within two years the league be-
and Chicago. The game is sponsored
productive outlet for their energy.
gan to franchise.
by the Beer Institute Community As-
MBL participants, ages 17 to 21,
Even the White House got into the
sistance Fund.
must attend mandatory workshops
act as President Bush himself listed
"This game is important in estab-
on drug counseling and career plan-
ning in addition to practice. If they
the league as one of his 1,000
lishing the Midnight Basketball
don't attend, they don't play.
points of light" in April.
League nationally,' said G. Van
The counseling "helps me out a
Players loved the wide-open inter-
Standifer, a former town manager of
lot," said Michael Stewart, 20, of
national rules that encouraged high-
Glenarden who is president and
the P.G. team. "A lot of things I
scoring, fast-break action. Coaches
founder of the league.
didn't know at first, I know now."
loved the preseason drafting proce-
New midnight basketball leagues
Stewart plans to attend Prince
dure, which was modeled on the
George's Community College in the
also have opened in Louisville and
spring.
NBA draft and helped ensure a bal-
Hartford, Conn., and another 45 cit-
"I like to focus attention on the
anced distribution of talent.
ies have requested information
targets of this program, the drop-
And the community appreciated
about the program, including Atlanta
outs, the jobless," Standifer said.
the league's efforts to provide a safe
and Miami.
"We try to build a bridge between
alternative for young people to avoid
In Chicago, city officials have said
joblessness and marketable skills."
the lure of drug activities in their
the program already has made a big
Although the league lacks the
neighborhood. Games are played be-
difference.
resources to keep track of individ-
uals, Standifer said he thinks the
tween 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., when the
"It gives these men something to
program is working.
dangers on the street are at their
do during the most vulnerable
In fact, players are SO serious
peak.
hours," said Chicago Housing Au-
about the game that the leagues
In addition to the games spon-
thority spokeswoman Lucille Wal-
had to find coaches who could guide
sored by the league, players are re-
lace. "Often times the alternatives
them.
quired to attend workshops on drug
for some of these teens is street cor-
Saundra Harris, director of res-
counseling, self-esteem and career
ident organizations for the Chicago
ners, crime, drugs
We regard the
Housing Authority (CHA), said that
planning. The league also offers job
program as crime intervention."
the coaches "give the players a
training scholarships.
Tonight's game will start at 7 and
sense of discipline, and show them
Now in its fifth season, the Mid-
will be free to the public.
how they can transform discipline
from the court into the develop-
ment of life skills.
If you can come to practice
on time, and it's mandatory for you
to be at the games on time, then
you can also go to a job. I think
that's what we are trying to get at."
Fifty cities are currently devel-
oping leagues and representatives
from Miami, Detroit, Atlanta and
Washington attended.
SATURDAY. OCTOBER 27. 1990
R1
THE WASHINGTON POST
Md. 12 THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1990
Midnight Basketball
Scores Point of Light
President Bush this week named
attracting large numbers of spec-
the Midnight Basketball League, a
tators.
community group formed in Glenar-
President Bush names a new
den nearly four years ago to keep
Point of Light six days a week to
young people away from drugs and
highlight individuals or groups that
off the streets at night, as one of his
are working to ease social problems
"Daily Points of Light."
"through direct and consequential
The league, founded by former
acts of community service," accord-
Glenarden town manager G. Van
ing to White House officials. The
Standifer, is open to Prince
Midnight Basketball League was.
George's County men ranging in
the 124th group to receive such
age from 17 to 21 and runs games
recognition.
from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesdays,
"The growth and magnification of
Wednesdays and Thursdays. Be-
Points of Light must now become
an American mission
It is in-
sides basketball, there are manda-
creasingly clear to more and more
tory drug education workshops and
Americans that our greatest social
vocational counseling.
problems-drugs, education re-
Standifer started the program af-
form, the environment, crime-will
ter discovering in 1986 that drug-
be solved only by the active engage-
related crimes had risen 60 percent
ment of tens of millions of individ-
from the previous year and that the
uals and millions of groups and in-
crimes were usually committed be-
stitutions who have never been in-
tween 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. Besides
volved before in these problems and
keeping the players off the street,
who will never be compensated one
the games have been successful in
nickel for their work."
12 days celebrating service
a different focus each day ie. youth service
2nd day military support & family support literary
3rd day leterary & education
workplace
/. this signifies beginning of ellebration of those who are
solving serious social problems
2. recogning a non-taaditional organization
do something good
ads: feel something real
DRAFT 3-12-91
POINTS OF LIGHT NATIONAL
CELEBRATION OF SERVICE
April 15-27, 1991
April 15
Kick-Off
Washington, D.C.
April 16
Military Support
New Orleans
San Antonio
April 17
Literacy/Education
Houston
Harrisburg, PA
April 18
Workplace Involvement
Memphis
April 19
Drug Prevention
Kansas City
April 20 - 21
Community Weekend
Chicago
Kalamazoo
April 22
Hunger/Homelessness/
Atlanta
Environment
April 23
Youth Service
Ft. Lauderdale
April 24
Older Americans
Pittsburgh
April 25
One-to-One Mentoring
Cincinnati
April 26
Closing
Washington, D.C.
Volunteers
Southern California
April 27
Action Day
Nationwide
staffed
(Lange/Simon)
April 9, 1991
3:30 P.M.
[HOOPS.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
PROCLAMATION SIGNING, POINTS OF LIGHT
MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL ALL-STAR GAME
GLENARDEN, MARYLAND
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1991
2:00 P.M.
[[ I'm glad to be here. You know, when I told Barbara I'd be
visiting a great institution, dedicated to keeping guys off the
street and out of trouble -- she said, "George, you spoke to
Congress last month." 11
Then I told her, "No, as Commander-in-Chief I want to see
first-hand some real American air power: dazzling night-time
shooting, skilled tactical wizardry, and the courageous airborne
maneuvers Americans have become world-famous for." And she said,
"Oh, you mean Midnight Basketball." III ]]
You know, America has a lot to celebrate these days. People
all over the country are finding a new sense of confidence in our
young men and women.
You can see it in the faces of every single soldier and
sailor, every airman and marine that served America and the world
so well, now coming home from the Persian Gulf. 11
And you see it here today. I'm proud to tell you I've never
had more confidence in the future, than after meeting this
distinguished, energetic, and promising group of individuals --
the all-star players of the Midnight Basketball League. III
This country is finally catching on to the fact that
whenever drugs are involved, everybody loses. But here,
2
everybody wins. Some may get better at basketball -- but every
one of these players gets a better shot at life.
The volunteers who make this program work bring in
Wash.
speakers, set up tutorials and workshops -- and with local
Post.
technical schools, they're helping these young men learn skills
8-9-90
to live by. The focus here is not on problems --- it's on promise
and potential.
V.S. see statement
You know, when Van Standifer visited the White House a few
12-13-90
months ago, he said "the last thing in the world that Midnight
Basketball is about is basketball." He said it was about
providing opportunities for young adults to escape drugs and get
on with their lives. Van is doing the kind of creative thinking
we need to encourage, everywhere in this country.
That's why, tonight, we're launching a National Celebration
draft see
of Community Service -- a tribute to the spirit of service in
America. Two weeks to salute the year-round efforts of everyone
from kids to seniors, now working to find solutions for every
kind of challenge, everywhere in America.
Every American involved in service is reaffirming this
nation as a community of conscience. A decent land -- proud, but
not boastful -- with a national will re-affirmed and re-directed:
an America that has re-discovered the can-do attitude.
Midnight Basketball, by itself, may not transform America,
or even this neighborhood, or even these kids -- but imagine what
could happen if all Americans made service to others an important
part of their lives.
3
I believe the day will come in America, when people will
realize how much they're missing. They'll feel the fulfillment
that comes from serving others -- and we'll begin to fill in gaps
no government could ever fill alone. People won't be able to
look the other way, or walk away, ever again.
Right now, everyday heroes you've never heard of are doing
quiet but crucial work. One by one, step by step, day by day,
they're changing lives -- and they're enjoying themselves.
+
wash.
Somebody told me that in Midnight Basketball, the only
Post
8-18-88 defense allowed is man-to-man. And that's important. Because
2nd M.B.
our only defense against despair, drugs, and hopelessness, has to
happen one-to-one. You don't have to try to change the world.
Just help one person. Teach one person to read, feed one hungry
child, hold one lonely hand. That's all it takes.
Too many look at life, and wonder what's the point. But
Points of Light never have to ask what's the point of life. They
know. It's something bigger than themselves. They know that the
power of one hopeful person can outshine a million indifferent
stares -- and make come true a million different dreams.
So let me thank you all for what you're doing -- and may God
bless the United States of America.
#
#
#
(Lange/Simon)
April 9, 1991
3:15 P.M.
[HOOPS.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
PROCLAMATION SIGNING, POINTS OF LIGHT
MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL ALL-STAR GAME
GLENARDEN, MARYLAND
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1991
2:00 P.M.
[[ I'm glad to be here. You know, when I told Barbara I'd be
visiting a great institution, dedicated to keeping guys off the
street and out of trouble -- she said, "George, you spoke to
Congress last month." 11
Then I told her, "No, as Commander-in-Chief I want to see
first-hand some real American air power: dazzling night-time
shooting, skilled tactical wizardry, and the courageous airborne
maneuvers Americans have become world-famous for." And she said,
"Oh, you mean Midnight Basketball." 111 ]]
You know, America has a lot to celebrate these days. People
all over the country are finding a new sense of confidence in our
young men and women.
You can see it in the faces of every single soldier and
sailor, every airman and marine that served America and the world
so well, now coming home from the Persian Gulf. 11
And you see it here today. I'm proud to tell you I've never
had more confidence in the future, than after meeting this
distinguished, energetic, and promising group of individuals --
the all-star players of the Midnight Basketball League. III
This country is finally catching on to the fact that
whenever drugs are involved, everybody loses. But here,
2
everybody wins. Some may get better at basketball -- but every
one of these players gets a better shot at life.
The volunteers who make this program work bring in
speakers, set up tutorials and workshops -- and with local
technical schools, they're helping these young men learn skills
to live by. The focus here is not on problems -- it's on promise
and potential.
You know, when Van Standifer visited the White House a few
months ago, he said "the last thing in the world that Midnight
Basketball is about is basketball.' He said it was about
providing opportunities for young adults to escape drugs and get
on with their lives. Van is doing the kind of creative thinking
we need to encourage, everywhere in this country.
Solutions aren't what happens when big, powerful interests
approach a problem. They happen when one person has a big,
powerful interest -- and generates it in those around him.
That's why, tonight, we're launching a National Celebration
of Community Service -- a tribute to the spirit of service in
America. Two weeks to salute the year-round efforts of everyone
from kids to seniors, now working to find solutions for every
kind of challenge, everywhere in America.
They're reaffirming this nation as a community of
conscience. A decent land -- proud, but not boastful -- with a
national will re-affirmed and re-directed: an America that has
re-discovered the can-do attitude.
3
Midnight Basketball, by itself, may not transform America,
or even this neighborhood, or even these kids -- but imagine what
will happen when all Americans start doing something this
important, this consequential, this meaningful.
I believe the day will come in America, when people will
realize how much they're missing. They'll recognize the rewards
and fulfillment that come from serving others -- and we'll begin
to fill in gaps no government could ever fill alone. People
won't be able to look the other way, or walk away, ever again.
Right now, everyday heroes you've never heard of are
finding champions on every streetcorner. One by one, step by
step, day by day, they're changing lives -- and they're enjoying
themselves.
Somebody told me that in Midnight Basketball, the only
defense allowed is man-to-man. And that's important. Because
our only defense against despair, drugs, and hopelessness, has to
happen one-to-one. You don't have to try to change the world.
Just help one person. Teach one person to read, feed one hungry
child, hold one lonely hand. That's all it takes.
Too many look at life, and wonder what's the point. But
Points of Light never have to ask what's the point of life. They
know. It's something bigger than themselves. They know that the
power of one hopeful person can outshine a million indifferent
stares -- and make come true a million different dreams.
So let me thank you all for what you're doing -- and may God
bless the United States of America.
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7TH STORY of Level 1 printed in FULL format.
Copyright (c) 1990 The Washington Post
October 27, 1990, Saturday, Final Edition
SECTION: SPORTS; PAGE G6
LENGTH: 338 words
HEADLINE: Chicago Wins In Midnight Championship;
Edges P.G. All-Stars
SERIES: Occasional
BYLINE: Andrew M. Backover, Special to The Washington Post
BODY:
The Midnight Basketball League took it to the hoop last night as the
Chicago All-Stars defeated the Prince George's County All-Stars, 84-83, in the
league's first national championship game at Novak Field House in Largo.
They squared off in the name of defeating two of the country's most
formidable opponents: drug abuse and unemployment.
During the summer months the Midnight Basketball League, founded in 1986 by
G. Van Standifer of Glenarden, encourages young adults to stay off the streets
by taking to the court.
Games are played three nights a week, between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., keeping
kids away from the temptations of crime and giving them a productive outlet for
their energy.
MBL participants, ages 17 to 21, must attend mandatory workshops on drug
counseling and career planning in addition to practice. If they don't attend,
they don't play.
The counseling "helps me out a lot," said Michael Stewart, 20, of the P.G.
team. "A lot of things I didn't know at first, I know now."
Stewart plans to attend Prince George's Community College in the spring.
"I like to focus attention on the targets of this program, the dropouts, the
jobless," Standifer said. "We try to build a bridge between joblessness and
marketable skills."
Although the league lacks the resources to keep track of individuals,
Standifer said he thinks the program is working.
In fact, players are 50 serious about the game that the leagues had to find
coaches who could guide them.
Saundra Harris, director of resident organizations for the Chicago Housing
Authority (CHA), said that the coaches "give the players a sense of discipline,
and show them how they can transform discipline from the court into the
development of life skills.
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(c) 1990 The Washington Post, October 27, 1990
=
If you can come to practice on time, and it's mandatory for you to be
at the games on time, then you can also go to a job. I think that's what we are
trying to get at."
Fifty cities are currently developing leagues and representatives from Miami,
Detroit, Atlanta and Washington attended.
TYPE: GAME COVERAGE
SUBJECT: BASEBALL; SEMI-PRO SPORTS
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15TH STORY of Level 1 printed in FULL format.
Copyright (c) 1990 The Washington Post
August 9, 1990, Thursday, Final Edition
SECTION: DISTRICT WEEKLY; PAGE J9
LENGTH: 818 words
HEADLINE: Midnight Basketball: Better Than The Streets
SERIES: Occasional
BYLINE: Andre Williams, Special to The Washington Post
BODY:
Coach Joyce Tillman's Lincoln Tech team, which finished playing at 11 p.m.,
had beaten Tri-Equity, 92-85, last Wednesday in a Central Division game of the
Midnight Basketball League at the Glenarden Recreation Center. But instead of
rushing home so she could catch a few hours sleep before heading off to work,
Tillman decided to hang around the gymnasium nearly three more hours.
She stayed until the Glenarden Stars defeated Bowie New Town, 99-83, in the
night's final game, which ended at 1:40 a.m.
Going home early would only have bored Tillman, who has been involved with
the Midnight League since its origination in 1986. "I'm so used to getting to
bed late that when I go home early, I don't know what to do," she said.
When the long hours at the gymnasium mean late starts at her job, Tillman
does not worry. "I have a good boss at work and we have pretty good flex hours,"
she said. "I just have to cover my desk for 7 1/2 hours and we're okay."
For the past 19 years, Tillman had been coaching AAU and boys and girls club
basketball teams in Prince George's County. Occasionally she coaches girls, but
she prefers to coach boys teams, like the ones that play in the Midnight League.
"Girls are too temperamental," she said.
Tillman has been a guiding force in the the men's Midnight League, which was
formed in 1986. She thinks the league has been good for the area, as well as an
outlet to help youngsters stay out of trouble.
"When you walk out of the gym and a kid grabs you and kisses you on the
cheek, and this kid is only 19 or 20 years old, that's just not your average
sentiments from a black teenager these days," said Tillman. "You know that
somewhere down the line, you have touched somebody and gotten through to them.
That really makes it worth my while."
Four summers ago, G. Van Standifer, then town manager for the city of
Glenarden, came up with the idea to organize a late night basketball league. He
hoped the league would create warm and positive feelings between players and
coaches and that the "rash of incidents in the wee hours of the morning in the
summer time," would take a reverse turn.
Three nights per week, a series of games start at 10 p.m. and continue until
most bars have long announced their last call for drinks that evening.
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(c) 1990 The Washington Post, August 9, 1990
"I was just concerned about Glenarden -- my town," said Standifer, who's son
Nelson is the director of the league's Central Division.
But as the war against drugs and violence has increased, Standifer's concerns
too have broadened. The league has added six-team divisions at the Glass Manor
Recreation Center in Oxon Hill and at the Langley Park Boys and Girls Clubs in
the past two years.
"We expanded because of the target of kids that we want to be a part of the
program," said Nelson Standifer. "We go after kids that do not graduate from
high school or who have graduated, but are not working. It shows that these guys
are in the streets late at night with nothing constructive to do, so we are
trying to give them an alternative."
The Midnight League is more than just a basketball hangout. With basketball
as the attention-getter, the league holds frequent educational workshops. The
league also tries to arrange scholarships for career training courses at Lincoln
Tech Institute, which is located in Capital Heights.
It was the educational benefits that attracted many athletes to the league.
"When I heard that they were offering scholarships, I decided to try and get
involved," said Steve White, 19, who graduated from Parkdale two years ago.
"It's a nice league, something to do when you get off work."
For some spectators, attending a basketball game is entertaining and offers a
change from their daily summer routine.
"This is my first time here," said Kristie Roberts, 22, of Glenarden. "It was
someting different to do. I could be home sleeping, but I'll probably come back
because it was fun and it is free."
G. Van Standifer gets great pleasure when learning a former league
participant achieved something worthwhile away from the court.
"We say that the Midnight Basketball League is an ounce of prevention and
we seek to slow down the transition from high-risk teenagers to the criminal
justice system," said Standifer. "We seek to slow down the killings and we seek
to build a bridge from joblessness and the development of marketable skills."
Tillman said the Midnight League is the type of innovation that is needed to
combat the changing problems in the community.
"There are not a lot of us adults left out here who still care enough about
the kids and who want to put in the time it takes, especially this late at
night," said Tillman.
The players appreciate the efforts made to establish the league.
"Everybody here is friends -- it is a neighborhood thing," said David Cebhas,
who plays for the Glenarden Stars. "There are a lot of bad things that happen
out in the streets."
GRAPHIC: PHOTO, WHEN COACH JOYCE TILLMAN OF THE LINCOLN TECHNICIANS WANTS TO
MAKE A POINT ON OR OFF THE COURT, SHE COMMANDS ATTENTION. CYRENA CHANG
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(c) 1990 The Washington Post, August 9, 1990
TYPE: MARYLAND NEWS
SUBJECT: BASKETBALL; AMATEUR SPORTS
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22ND STORY of Level 1 printed in FULL format.
Copyright (c) 1988 The Washington Post
August 18, 1988, Thursday, Final Edition
SECTION: MARYLAND WEEKLY; PAGE M1
LENGTH: 862 words
HEADLINE: P.G. Community Fights Drugs With Full Court Press
BYLINE: Andrew Salomon, Special to The Washington Post
BODY:
When the Midnight Basketball League playoffs began at Prince George's
Community College last week, there was no mistaking that people were playing for
keeps. A coach jumped off the bench and gave an earful to a player who didn't
get back on defense; a player glared long and hard at a referee after a
questionable call; another coach, whose team trailed by 10 with two minutes left
in the game, was assessed a technical foul.
"When you get to this point in the season, you're playing for trophies and
bragging rights in the community," said Coach Dale DeBerry, who never met a
basketball game he didn't take seriously.
However, there are more serious things than basketball going on here. The
sport is but one part of a living clinic in problem-solving, an unusual piece of
strategy in the omnipresent war on drugs.
Midnight Basketball was the brainchild of Van Standifer, who as town
manager of Glenarden in 1986 came across some startling statistics. He
discovered that drug-related crimes had risen 60 percent from the previous year
and that the crimes were usually committed between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Standifer decided he needed something to lure young adults off the street and
into a place where they could be constructive. Basketball was the best bait.
"Generally speaking, where there are huge blocks of free time, drug and
alcohol abuse go up. The idea here is to use up as much of that free time as
possible," Standifer said. "If you could fill up every 24 hours of a young
adult's day, you could eliminate a lot of the problems. Since we can't do that,
we've chosen what WE feel is the most vulnerable time frame." =
So the Midnight Basketball League came into being, but not without
difficulty.
First there was the question of money. The mayor of Glenarden supported
Standifer's idea, but there was nothing in the town budget to finance the
league. Another obstacle was parents. They, too, liked the idea, but weren't
sure whether playing basketball until 2 a.m. was the best thing for their
children.
But Standifer was able to convince the parents and area businesses that,
through their direct involvement, they could do something to help with the
growing drug problem.
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(c) 1988 The Washington Post, August 18, 1988
"A lot of people feel that drug abuse is a police problem. Once you've
adopted that attitude, you've already lost the battle," Standifer said.
So far, the idea has worked. The league has grown in membership by 20 percent
each year to 84 players in the season that ended last Thursday. This is the
first year every team has a full sponsor. And people from Boston, Detroit and
Atlanta have made inquiries, hoping to set up similar programs.
Participants in the league are all men who live in Prince George's County and
range in age from 17 to 21. Besides basketball, there are mandatory drug
education workshops and vocational counseling. And unlike other summer leagues,
every person plays at least one quarter of each game. The games are held on
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights.
"This league exists for the satisfaction and gratification of the individual
players," Standifer said. Catering to the best players would be self-defeating,
he said. If certain players didn't get to see any time, they wouldn't show up;
they would be on the streets from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Standifer's solution to the problem is geared toward prevention, not
reaction. Realistically, Standifer said, the influx of drugs into this country
can't be stopped. "As long as there is a market, drugs are going to be here. If
we can reduce the size of the market, then we might have some impact. Hopefully,
some day be able to tie up 500 to 5,000 kids
tie 'em up with
chest-to-chest, eyeball-to-eyeball, man-to-man defense.'
one-to-one Man-to-man defense is an integral part of Midnight Basketball. It's the
helpone Aerson. Don't
only defense allowed.
"We figure it will tire them out more" than zone defense, said David Berg, a
member of the league's advisory board and an avid fan. The reasoning is that the
more tired the players are after a game, the less time they will spend on the
streets.
Berg became a member when his employer, Mark Vogel Cos., led a local campaign
to encourage more area businesses to support the league. He was hooked from the
start.
"It's local, it's active, it's catchy, but most of all, it works," Berg said.
"Whenever kids feel a lack of options or attention, there is a sense of
desperation. When you have that, kids start to say yes [to drugs]. Midnight
Basketball gives kids a choice."
Terence Williams, a player in the league, agreed.
"You can set an example by playing in this league. The way you act on the
floor is the way you act when you leave," he said. "I've learned a lot here,
like how to get along with other people."
DeBerry, who will join the basketball coaching staff at McNamara High School
this year, feels the discipline inherent in the league program will be carried
over into the players' everyday lives.
"Sports are related to life. There are pitfalls, slumps, comebacks and
winning streaks. A lot of these kids come from broken homes, have many
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PAGE 9
(c) 1988 The Washington Post, August 18, 1988
obstacles. But they have the ability to overcome them. That's the message we try
to instill in them."
TYPE: MARYLAND NEWS
SUBJECT: PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD; DRUG ABUSE; BASKETBALL; BASKETBALL AS
RECREATION
ORGANIZATION: MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL LEAGUE
NAMED-PERSONS: VBAN STANDIFER
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REMARKS BY G. VAN STANDIFER
THE WHITE HOUSE
DECEMBER 13, 1990
Thank you very much. It is a privilege and an honor for me
to be here with you today. You know, the Midnight Basketball
League was started just a few miles from here in Prince George's
County, Maryland. But as I stand here before you next to our
nation's White House, I realize just how very far the League
has come, and how much farther we can go.
So I'd like to thank President Bush for the chance he has given
me to tell you all about Midnight Basketball, how it works and
how it can help save the young people in your communities.
The reasons we began the Midnight Basketball League five years
ago are not unique to Prince George's County or the westside
of Chicago
or the suburbs of Seattle
or
anywhere
else
where the drug culture is robbing our communities of their
young people.
And these reasons are not new to you either, I'm sure.
Illegal drugs are taking a devastating toll on America, a fact
that I don't have to belabor today. Now there are any number
of factors involved in the drug cultures explosive growth.
Some people will tell you that it's because there aren't enough
police to fight the problem, or there aren't enough prisons,
or not enough federal funds, and on and on.
Well honest men and women can disagree about those factors.
But there is one point on which there can be no disagreement,
no discussion: the drug culture will flourish as long as there
are not enough people in the communities who are willing to
say, "Enough! We will not let you steal our young people and
our young people's lives! This is where we draw the line !"
More than tax dollars, more than police, more than prisons,
more than anything else, putting a stop to the destruction
of illegal drugs takes commitment. And that's what Midnight
Basketball is all about.
Like any other industry, the illegal drug industry depends
on supply -- production, distribution and sales, and
demand --- the market of users and those who tolerate drug use.
The Midnight Basketball League is meant to have an impact on
the demand side of the equation by eliminating or at least
disturbing the market. The concept is very simple, really.
We have organized a basketball league --complete with uniforms,
coaches, officials, and fans -- that plays its games between
10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., out of harms way during the peak
hours of drug-related activity.
Page 2
And once we give those young people a safe alternative, we then
teach them to develop marketable skills between games through
workshops and scholarships.
For a player to participate, he must attend all practices and
workshops. If he doesn't, then he doesn't play.
So Midnight Basketball gives these young people a safe haven
from the streets, while also giving them the opportunity to
improve self discipline. But the most important thing we give
these young adults is the knowledge and comfort of knowing that
their community cares about them.
And I am here today to tell. you that it works. For example,
reported crimes in my community dropped by forty percent from
1986 to 1988 when the League was in operation.
I attribute this success to three reasons.
First, we have targeted a specific segment of the population
for our program -- 17-25 year olds, school drop outs and jobless.
We realize that no one program can effectively reach all the
elements of the drug market. But this segment is perhaps the
most at risk, because it is often the most active in illegal
drugs. That's why WE targeted them.
Second, the program works because it really does attract that
targeted group. As you can imagine, the Midnight Tiddleywinks
League just wouldn't have the same attraction for these young
adults.
And I don't say that to be ficetious. Let's be honest ------------------------- in
many of our troubled neighborhoods and communities, basketball
is popular beyond belief. We accept that, and use it to help
deliver our message.
And finally, our program works because it attracts other concerned
parties, such as local citizens groups, businesses and government.
I ean't stress enough the importance of this last point.
Midnight Basketball needs local citizen support to organize
the league and demonstrate the commitment the young adults
need to see. It needs the support of local, state and federal
government, and it must have the business and corporate support
that provides the lifeblood of any program - funding.
In fact, I believe that the single most important factor contributing
to BLIF SUCCESS is the public-private partnership. Let's face
it ----- there will never be enough tax dollars available to support
a program like this. But neither can we expect that business.
will always support the league financially.
Page 3
The business community is extremely generous when business is
good, sometimes less so when things tighten economically.
But Midnight Basketball is a program that both government and
business can endorse and support together. In fact, it's the
only way the program will truly succeed.
Earlier I noted how far Midnight Basketball has come since we
first opened the gym doors in Prince George's County five years
ago. Then, We were struggling to attract the young adults,
funding, support and attention we needed.
Since then, Midnight Basketball has grown by leaps and bounds.
In Prince George's County, we've gone from one gym to three.
We have programs up and running in Atlanta, Chicago and elsewhere.
We have received inquiries from over 50 other cities on starting
a league.
And this spring, we were honored by President Bush as an official
"Point of Light."
I am also proud to say that we have passed another major milestone
by establishing a national association for all the Midnight
Basketball Leagues. This will help bring uniformity to all
the leagues, and ensure that local programs have a voice in
the associations's management and share in whatever resources
it generates.
And the signs are that the national association should attract
significant assistance particularly in the form of national
corporate sponsors. The Beer Institute Community Assistance
Fund, for example, was established specifically to help
community-oriented programs that fight substance abuse.
The Community Assistance Fund, which we named our Corporate
Sponsor of the Year, has already indicated that they will even
more generously support the League's national association.
Again, I would like to thank President Bush for his support,
and this wonderful opportunity today, and I'd like to leave
you with a couple of thoughts.
The last thing in the world that Midnight Basketball is about
is basketball. It's really about bringing the public and private
sectors together for a common goal; it's about commitment from
the community; and, most importantly, it's about providing
opportunities for young adults to escape drugs and get on with
their lives.
Page 4
Finally, the Midnight Basketball League is about success.
It works in Prince George's County, and it will work for young
people in your communities, too. When you return home, think
about it, talk about it, then let me know how we can help set
up a Midnight Basketball League in your hometown.
Thank you.
Big wind
1991
Chase's Annual Events
Apr 12
CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL (WITH PARADE). Apr
ysis, or poliomyelitis, almost miraculously declined following
12-14. (Also Apr 19-21.) Japantown, San Francisco, CA. Over
introduction of preventive vaccines.
2,000 Californians of Japanese descent and performers from
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY HOME AND GARDEN SHOW.
Japan participate in most elaborate offering of Japanese culture
Apr 12-14. San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, Stockton, CA. A
and customs this side of Honshu, highlighted by colorful pa-
trade show of products and services related to the home and
rade. Annually, the last two weekends in April. Sponsors: Jap-
garden. Info from: Metro Expositions, Steve Anthony, Pres,
anese Chamber of Commerce and the Japanese Merchants
5665 N Pershing Ave, Ste C-4, Stockton, CA 95207-4905.
Assn. Info from: Louise Hanford, PR Dir, Hanford Assoc, 582
SPACE MILESTONE: DISCOVERY (US). Apr 12. On its
Market St, Ste 608, San Francisco, CA 94104.
16th mission (from Kennedy Space Center, FL) Discovery car-
COSMONAUTS' DAY. Apr 12. Space Center, Alamogordo,
ried a US Senator (Jake Garn) as a member of its crew of
NM. A celebration of Yuri Gagarin's flight, the first man in
seven. Apr 12, 1985.
space. Annually, Apr 12. Info from: Public Affairs, Space Cen-
SPACE MILESTONE: STS 1 (US) 10TH ANNIVERSARY.
ter, PO Box 533, Alamogordo, NM 88310.
Apr 12. First flight Apr 12, 1981, of Shuttle Columbia. Two
DOGWOOD ARTS FESTIVAL. Apr 12-28. Knoxville, TN. A
astronauts (John Young and Robert Crippen) on first manned
springtime celebration with sixty miles of Dogwood trails and
US space mission since Apollo-Soyuz in July 1976, spent 54
over one-hundred events highlighting arts, crafts, parades and
hours in space (36 orbits of Earth) before landing at Edwards
musical performances. It's the "Best 17 Days of Spring in Amer-
Air Force Base, CA, Apr 14.
ica." Sponsor: Dogwood Arts Festival, 111 N Central Ave,
SPACE MILESTONE: VOSTOCK I, FIRST MAN IN
Knoxville, TN 37902.
SPACE: 30TH ANNIVERSARY. Apr 12. Yuri Gagarin be-
FOND DU LAC JAZZ FESTIVAL. Apr 12-13. University of
came the first man in space on Apr 12, 1961, when he made a
Wisconsin, Fond du Lac, WI. Two days of jazz artists, evening
108-minute voyage, orbiting Earth in a 10,395-lb vehicle, Vostok
concerts, jam sessions and receptions. Headliners in the past
I, launched by the USSR.
have included Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Stan Getz and
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA FOUNDER'S DAY. Apr 12.
Maynard Ferguson, and the Ramsey Lewis Trio. Sponsor: Fond
du Lac Jazz Society Fdtn. Info from: Mary Burnett, Dir of
Charlottesville, VA. Celebration marks the anniversary of the
Tourism Sales, Fond du Lac Convention Bureau, 207 N Main,
birth of the university's founder, Thomas Jefferson. Info from:
Fond du Lac, WI 54935.
University of Virginia, University News Office, Booker House,
Box 9018, Charlottesville, VA 22906-9018.
FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL. Apr 12-14. New Orleans,
LA. Theme: "The French Quarter Is For Everyone." Hours of
BIRTHDAYS TODAY
free entertainment, parades, courtyard tours, fireworks and the
"World's Largest Jazz Brunch." Info from: French Quarter
David Cassidy, singer, actor, born at New York, NY, Apr 12,
Festival, Sandra Dartus, Box 53362, New Orleans, LA 70153.
1950.
HALIFAX INDEPENDENCE DAY. Apr 12. North Carolina.
Lionel Hampton, bandleader, born at Louisville, KY, Apr 12,
Anniversary of the resolution adopted by the Provincial Con-
1913.
gress of North Carolina at Halifax, NC, Apr 12, 1776, authoriz-
Herbie Hancock, musician, born at Chicago, IL, Apr 12, 1940.
ing the delegates from North Carolina to the Continental Con-
David Letterman, comedian, TV talk show host, born at India-
gress to vote for a Declaration of Independence.
napolis, IN, Apr 12, 1947.
Ann Miller (Lucille Ann Collier), actress, born at Houston,
MAIN STREET FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL. Apr
TX, Apr 12, 1923.
12-14. Fort Worth, TX. National, regional and local entertainers
Tiny Tim (Herbert Buckingham Khaury), entertainer, born
(music, dance, theatre and literature) of all styles. More than a
at New York, NY, Apr 12, 1922.
mile of arts and crafts as well as a juried fine arts gallery.
Sponsor: Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. Info from: Allen Wallach,
PR Mgr, c/o Paul Lazzaro and Assoc, 115 W Second, Ste 201,
APRIL 13 - SATURDAY
Ft Worth, TX 76102.
103rd Day - Remaining, 262
NORTH CAROLINA WILDFOODS WEEKEND. Apr 12-14.
Betsy Jeff Penn 4-H Center, Reidsville, NC. To learn about and
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS AN-
forage for wild edible plants, and to collect and prepare a wild
NUAL MEETING. Apr 13-17. Miami, FL. National meeting of
food feast. Info from: Sandra H. Maus, 410 Gardner St, Reids-
members, workshops, paper and poster sessions and field trips.
ville, NC 27320.
Sponsor: Assn of American Geographers, Sally Meyers, 1710
16th St NW, Washington, DC 20009-3198.
POSITIVE POWER OF HUMOR AND CREATIVITY
BECKETT, SAMUEL: 85TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY. Apr
CONFERENCE. Apr 12-14. Saratoga Springs, NY. Partici-
13. Author, critic and playwright. Born at Foxrock, County
pants will enjoy themselves while learning practical ideas they
Dublin, Ireland, on Apr 13, 1906. Writing in both French and
can apply both personally and on-the-job. Sixth annual confer-
English, Samuel Beckett is best remembered for his plays,
ence. Sponsor: Dr. Joel Goodman, Dir, The Humor Project,
including Waiting for Godot, Endgame, Krapp's Last Tape and
110 Spring St, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
Happy Days. Beckett settled in Paris, France, in 1937 and
PRESIDENTS' REGATTA CHAMPIONSHIPS. Apr 12-13.
served with an underground resistance group during the early
Lake Shawnee, Topeka, KS. A 56-event rowing regatta for high
years of World War II. When members of his group were ar-
school, college, and master age oarspeople. Annually, on in-
rested, he fled to unoccupied France supporting himself as an
come tax weekend. Sponsor: US Rowing. Info from: Don Craig,
agricultural laborer. He served as an interpreter with the Irish
4336 SE 25th St Terrace, Topeka, KS 66605.
Red Cross in a military hospital, returning to Paris in late 1945.
In the years following the war he entered a period of intense
RETAIL BAKERS OF AMERICA 22ND ANNUAL IN-
creativity, producing among others the stories Molloy, Malone
STORE BAKERY CONFERENCE. Apr 12-13. Minneapo-
Dies, The Unnamable, and two plays, Eleutheria and Waiting
lis, MN. Info from: RBA, Richard C. Gohla, Exec VP, Presiden-
for Godot. Godot received an acclaimed production at the
tial Bldg, Ste 250, 6525 Belcrest Rd, Hyattsville, MD 20782.
Theatre de Babylone at Paris in Jan 1953, and with it Beckett
SALK VACCINE ANNIVERSARY. Apr 12. Anniversary of
achieved worldwide popularity. Beckett's style involved an ever-
announcement in 1955 that the Salk vaccine (developed by
increasing concentration on stripping his writing to its bare
American physician Dr. Jonas E. Salk) was declared "safe,
essence, focusing on sparseness and brevity. Beckett died on
potent and effective." Incidence of the dreaded infantile paral-
Dec 22, 1989, in Paris, France.
95
POINTS OF LIGHT NATIONAL CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Marked by a sense of hope and renewal, Spring is a fitting
time to honor the millions of Americans who engage in voluntary
service to others. Across the United States, people of every
age, race, and walk of life are taking direct and consequential
action to help solve serious social problems such as drug abuse,
illiteracy, and homelessness. These Americans are planting the
seeds of positive change in their communities and sowing a rich
crop for the future.
Voluntary service in America takes a variety of forms.
Countless Americans give of their time individually. In
addition, millions of Americans now volunteer through innovative
corporate programs and special school-based projects. And there
are those generous individuals who work on. behalf of major
nonprofit organizations and local charities. During this
National Celebration of Community Service, we salute all of
these caring citizens.
This nationwide observance underscores the fact that
everyone has a gift to give -- that every act of kindness
counts. For example, in Polk, Nebraska, a group of third grade
students telephones homebound senior citizens each day, offering
a bright source of companionship and cheer. The founders of the
"Midnight Basketball" program in Hyattsville, Maryland,
contribute to the struggle against crime and delinquency by
offering late-night sports activities and tutorial sessions for
disadvantaged youngsters. Through the "Let's Help" program in
Topeka, Kansas, volunteers provide needy families with literacy
training, job counseling, and advice on parenting, as well as
food and financial support. All of these volunteers and others,
the brilliant "Points of Light" that reflect our national
conscience and illuminate our country's social landscape, are
making a profound difference.
2
Every American has something to contribute, and none should
be content until we have found a way to serve. To be of service
is not only to meet someone else's needs, it is not only to
fulfill one of our primary responsibilities as citizens and
neighbors -- it is to find the joy and meaning in life that come
only from selflessness and giving.
Today more and more Americans have come to see that any
definition of a successful life must include serving others. So
many of our citizens are beginning to recognize the talents,
resources, and interests they have to share. Let us salute all
those Americans who carry on the time-honored tradition of
voluntary service, and let us strengthen our own commitment
to enriching the lives of others -- and our own -- through
service.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested
in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do
hereby proclaim the period of April 15 through April 26, 1991,
as Points of Light National Celebration of Community Service.
This special tribute to the spirit of service in America and to
the millions of Americans who embody that spirit encompasses
traditional National Volunteer Week events and numerous other
activities in which all Americans -- young and old alike -- are
encouraged to engage. I ask all Americans to join in saluting
and thanking our Nation's volunteers, as well as the
organizations -- religious, governmental, business, and private
nonprofit -- that support and participate in community service.
I also encourage every American to observe this week with
appropriate events and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
day of
,
in the year of our
Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-one, and of the Independence
of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth.