Remembering Ryan: A smashing success

By all accounts, the fifth annual Ryan J. Klebowski Memorial Basketball Game was a smashing success. You could tell by the estimated 200-300 students who attended the game, many for the first time. You could tell by the reaction of his family members who traveled from Brunswick to be part of the event. You could tell by the smile on the face of his sister, Cassie, a Heidelberg junior who was largely responsible for breathing new life into the game this year. You could tell by the scoreboard – the student team defeated the faculty/staff team for the first time.

And you could tell when the announcement came that Caring Makes Cents would be receiving more than $1,800 this year to buy Christmas presents for pediatric cancer patients at the Cleveland Clinic.

Each November, Ryan’s friends and family come together in his honor to plan the game to raise money for Caring Makes Cents, an organization Ryan began before his death from a brain tumor in August 2003, just 16 months after he graduated from Heidelberg.

Cassie’s goal was to let people know who Ryan was and to raise money for Caring Makes Cents. She had help and support from the men of Nu Sigma Alpha, the fraternity Ryan belonged to when he was a student. All Greek students contributed to the effort as well, donating the proceeds from their annual Greek Sing event to the cause.

In keeping with tradition, those who attended also participated in a short memorial service after the game, releasing purple and grey balloons in his honor.

 
Posted 11-5-2007