News: Loudoun County's "Hoops for Heroes Night" Raises Whopping $16K for Wounded Warrior Project

U.S. Army Specialist Josh Wetzel, with wife Paige on right, receives a
signed basketball from Loudoun County High junior Maggie Phillips

(Feb. 8, 2013) - Loudoun County High School junior Maggie Phillips and the girls and boys basketball programs set the bar high when she and her classmates organized the first "Hoops for Heroes Night" in January. The goal was an ambitious $10,000 that would go towards the Wounded Warrior Project.

They didn't reach $10,000 ... they blew past that mark as Phillips says that the final tally for the big night was a whopping $16,092 raised.

"The night was a success -- there was a lot of patriotism and appreciation," said Phillips. "Our guest of honor, U.S. Army Specialist Josh Wetzel spoke to us all during halftime about what the Wounded Warrior Project has meant to him and it inspired people to donate."

Editor's note: That the Raider boys and girls varsity basketball teams defeated Leesburg rival Tuscarora that night were truly secondary ... there were no losers on the evening, only winners ... The standing ovation that Wetzel received from the fans when he went to center court was a moment that I will not forget.