Project Unity Hosts “Together We Ball” Free, Family Event on Sunday, August 27 from 2PM to 6PM at P.C. Cobb Field House

3rd annual event unifies Dallas community, law enforcement and religious leaders through family fun and basketball

(DALLAS – August 15, 2017) – On Sunday, August 27, Project Unity will host Together We Ball as part of the Year of Unity. Geared to bring the Dallas community and law enforcement together, the highlight of this event will be a friendly game of basketball featuring local police officers, religious and community leaders.

The event will be held from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the field house of the P.C. Cobb Athletic Complex (1702 Robert B Cullum Blvd, Dallas, TX 75210) and offers free admission and parking.

The schedule of events includes:

2 – 4 PM Family-Fun Activities

  • Balloon artists & face painting
  • Kids N Cops autograph station
  • Coloring station
  • Mavs ManiAACs performance
  • Community 3-point shoot out
  • Community slam dunk contest
  • Concession stands open (first 200 children to receive a coupon for free concession food items)
2 – 4 PM High School Basketball Exhibition Game

  • Featuring Bishop Dunne Catholic School & James Madison High School
4 – 6 PM Pastors & Police Community Basketball Game
Half-time contest:

  • Old-school free throw

 

Coaches for the Pastors & Police teams include retired NBA player Sam Perkins along with Lady Jade and Tomasz Kwiatkowski. Lady Jade is a radio personality for K104 and former basketball player. Kwiatkowski is a former SMU center and played for the Poland Professional League. The event will be emceed by the Dallas Mavericks’ Chris Arnold, and Mayor Mike Rawlings is set to speak.

“We’re excited to bring the community together for a good, old-fashioned–and competitive–game of basketball,” notes Year of Unity Founder and St. Paul United Methodist Church Senior Pastor Richie Butler. “Together We Ball is our signature event and a great venue for children and families to meet and cheer on police officers and pastors having fun on the court. Basketball is a universal language that spans communities, ages and races–and professions. We’re eager to use this forum to promote unity, teamwork and spirit in Dallas.”

Dallas Police Department Sgt. Robert Muñoz adds, “Oftentimes, children only experience law enforcement in a crisis situation and many may be shy or timid in our presence. Our officers love this opportunity to join the community and to help children see that we can have fun, be fun and, for some of us, even shoot hoops. Beyond our officers as players on the court, we’ll have officers in uniform, too. Our partnership with Project Unity has created wonderful experiences for us show the citizens of Dallas that we’re all in this effort together to foster race relations and community.”

New this year, Project Unity is introducing a Spirit Stick Scholarship to bring the competition to the bleachers. The participating player’s organization with the most attendees present at the 4pm headliner game will receive a $500 scholarship. The funds are to be used to hold a youth-focused event on race relations or as a scholarship award to a graduating senior of that organization, based on a 500-word essay competition on race relations.

The event is organized by Project Unity in partnership with the Dallas Police Department, DART Police Department, Dallas Independent School District, DISD Police Department, State Fair of Texas, St. Paul United Methodist Church and United Way Dallas.