On January 26, 2024, Oak Lawn Community High School held Paint the Gym Purple, an annual basketball game that brings together staff, students, and players to bring awareness and support to anyone who has been or is affected by cancer.
Paint the Gym Purple (P.T.G.P) has been a successful fundraiser for many years, starting back in 2008 and has been continuing since. T-shirts, Wristbands, and Ticket sales go to charities and cancer tuition for students. This year the Student Helpers, co-sponsored by Mrs. Maslowski and Mrs. Meierkort, sold about 450 shirts. Mrs. Maslowski said, “Paint the Gym Purple raises awareness of the impact cancer has on all our lives and raises money for the annual Spartan Survivor Scholarship awarded to an OLCHS senior affected by cancer. Also, it gives hope when you look at all the students, staff, and community coming together we realize by supporting each other we can overcome life’s most difficult challenges.” She also said, “It’s a schoolwide effort. The P.T.S.A. donated an Apple gift card basket for the raffle, girls and boys basketball teams, cheer & dance buy and wear shirts & student council decorated the lobby. Coach Rhodes and Mr. Cryan had players give roses to families affected by cancer at the game.”
A prep assembly was held at the end of the school day before P.T.G.P. which led up to the basketball games. The Oak Lawn Spartans Varsity Girls and Boys both took on the Shepard Astros. The girls’ game tipped off at 5:00 pm this year, the game was very competitive and both teams had very exciting plays. The Astros pulled ahead in the end beating the Spartans 49-40. Maeve Hassett led her team with 17 points and hopes to finish the season strong. This brought the Lady Spartans to 12-12 on the season and 6-2 in their conference. After the conclusion of the Girl’s game, the Boys then took on the Astros, the Boys played very well throughout the game and took a victory against the Astros 70-47, Jack Dempsey, Donte Montgomery, and Henry Martinez all had double-digit points on the night with 18, 16 and 10 respectively. The Boys improve to 14-6 on the season and 7-1 in their conference.
Paint the Gym Purple was very successful, bringing fundraising for a great cause, more awareness for cancer, and many people to gather and watch the Spartans. This event is looked forward to each year and hopes to be even more successful next year.
