Members of the Salisbury Township Police Department faced members of the Salisbury Youth Association basketball team in a charity event March 25 at Salisbury High School.

SYA Basketball Coach George Rompilla came up with the idea to raise money for the police department and talked it over with the kids who were “all for it.”

Rompilla, who is involved in corrections and security said he is tired of police getting a bad name.

Rompilla said the kids were “excited because of the school resource officer.”

After receiving a blessing from the SYA director, Rompilla contacted the police department and began working with Cpl. Chris Casey on the logistics of the event.

Events included a basketball clinic, a K-9 demo, fundraising activities and the basketball game.

Partners for the basketball event included MP Outfitters, South Mountain Bowling Lanes, Yoccos, Brass Rail, Dicks Sporting Goods, Vallos BAkery, Lorenzo’s Restaurant, Francesco’s Restaurant, Catty Beverage, Becks Hot Dogs and A&H Sporting Goods.

“The basketball game was extremely successful,” Casey said. “This is the first of an annual event. We are already making plans for next year which may include a SYA tournament with the winning team playing the police team.”

The event raised $1,500 which was matched by the Salisbury Township Police Officers Association. The $3,000 will be split between Project Lifesaver and National Night Out.

Project Lifesaver International is “a public safety program designed to protect and locate missing persons due to wandering.” Project Lifesaver serves clients and families affected by Alzheimer’s, autism, Down Syndrome and developmental disorders. The money raised will allow the police department to purchase Project Lifesaver bracelets.

National Night Out, usually held the first Tuesday in August, is an annual community-building campaign which promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.

The final score of the game was Police 65 - SYA 60.

“We want to commend the SYA players,” Casey said. “They were ferocious and enthusiastic and never ran out of energy. It was a very competitive game.”

Casey also wanted to thank Rompilla and all the SYA players and volunteers for their work.

“Rompilla dedicates himself to the kids with no kids of his own on the team. He and his staff of coordinators for the event went above and beyond,” Casey said.

“It was an awesome day,” Rompilla said. “The kids had a good time and I think they learned from this event to give back to the community and through that a sense of responsibility.”