Donkey Basketball coming to RF

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What will River Falls Mayor Don Richards, Police Chief Roger Leque, St. Bridget’s Pastor Father Jerry Harris and middle school teacher Diane Brady all have in common next Saturday, Jan. 24?

They will all be riding donkeys while playing basketball.

A Donkey Basketball Tournament, sponsored by the high school, will be held that night beginning at 7 p.m. at the Meyer Middle School gym. Four teams consisting of high school students, teachers, community members and school administrators will compete.

All competitors will ride real, live donkeys while playing a game of basketball.

Three games are scheduled. The students will take on the teachers at 7 p.m. and the community will face the administrators in the second game with the winners to square off in a championship game.

Mayor Richards, Chief Leque and Father Harris will all play for the community team along with Dr. Paul McMillan from the River Falls Area Hospital, Pauline Williams from the fire department, Mary Waters from the ambulance service and local Realtor Randy Cudd.

Brady will be joined on the teachers’ team by Paul Meyer from the middle school and high school teachers Bill Forster, Jean Moelter, Joe Coughlin, Kaleena Hoffman, Dan Hoffman and John Bennett.

School District Superintendent Tom Westerhaus will head up the administrators team along with high school Assistant Principal Kit Luedtke, middle school Assistant Principal Pat McCardle, Westside Elementary Principal Mike Ballard, Greenwood Elementary Principal Nate Schurman, Personnel Director Donna Hill and Special Ed Coordinator Jackie Steinhoff.

Making up the students’ team will be seniors Jordan Henkemeyer, Eric Friede, Hallie Huppert and Ashley Brager and juniors Marty Herum, Navid Rahgozar, Tessa Wells and Kari Wolf.

Tickets are $6 in advance and can be purchased from any team member, at the high school activities office, or at First National Bank of River Falls. Tickets will cost $8 at the door the night of the event.

Tags: ri er, falls, donkey, basketball, mayor