On Feb. 27 in the high school gym, administration, high school students and community members competed against each other in a game of donkey basketball.

As Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) club advisor Bradley Baldwin explained, awhile back Head Task Force Coordinator Ellen Hill organized donkey basketball here at Freedom and it was a big hit. Seeing as though this is her last year before her retirement, Baldwin, SADD club, the Task Force and herself, teamed up to have some fun and raise some money.

“It got a lot of the elementary and middle school kids interested and even some of the high schoolers, so we decided to give it a shot and see how it works,” Baldwin said.
He explained that this fundraiser has already been more successful than a few of the past ones and has managed to not only get the younger kids involved, but, as Baldwin referred to as “the most difficult of the three schools: the high schoolers.”

“We just thought we could raise some money and get some events around here, as well as have some fun,” Baldwin said, expressing his joy for the fundraiser and competition.

At the event, the driver who brought the donkeys from their home in Ohio explained quite a bit about how he came about his current job.
Employee of about three months at “Buckeye Donkey Ball” Chance Danison, 23 years old, explained that he came upon the job after his brother sent the ad from a magazine to him as a joke. The job, although seeming like a joke, came as great interest to Danison. After a couple of months, he was driving these donkeys all the way from Ohio to places like Pittsburgh, Indiana, Michigan, Philadelphia and New York. He explained that these events are most popular in Ohio and Indiana.

“I talk to [the donkeys] a lot when we’re on the road. As long they don’t start talking to me then I guess I don’t need to see a doctor,” Danison joked.

As for the games, all three ended with sudden death rounds. In the first game, which involved the middle school teachers versus the elementary school teachers, the middle school teachers won in overtime with a score of 4-2.

The second game involved administration, including Superintendent Jeffery Fuller and the principals and assistant principals from each of the schools, versus the local fire department. The score ended as 4-2, leaving the administration with the win and high school Principal William Deal with the game winning shot.

In the last game, the high school teachers squared off against high school students. After being the most pressured and highest-scoring game, the students fell short 10-6.

After the event, Baldwin described the event as “successful and a fun time.” He explained that, in the future, he hopes to have more fundraisers that get the community as involved and excited as this one did. The event raised $4,800 dollars.