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March 19, 2010

Volunteers host visiting teams

BY DENNIS BARTLOW

DANVILLE — Danville hospitality at its best comes from the hosts of the 16 teams who advance to the National Junior College Association Division II men’s basketball tournament.

“I love to volunteer every year,” said Jerry Connolly, a first-time host for one of the teams. “Every year I do whatever is needed.”

Connolly, director of the Danville Sanitary District, said he was sitting with Jeanie Cooke of the Danville Convention and Visitors Bureau during last year’s tournament when he mentioned that he would be interested in being a team host.

“I told her to put me down,” he said.

Cooke passed that along to Dick Shockey, the tournament director, who contacted Connolly a couple months ago and lined it up.

“It is fun,” Connolly said. “I met the (Grand Rapids) team at its first practice and drove the coaches to the press conference and to the banquet.”

The hosts are the eyes and ears of Danville.

“We get volunteers who have a good personality and interest in sports,” Shockey said. “We want them to be available to the team.”

While the team is playing, most hosts, including Connolly, pass out towels and water to the players when they come out of the game. They are an unofficial manager for the team.

They also become a fan of their team. Connolly clapped as the Grand Rapids Community College players scored.

The hosts often arrange for meals as Connolly did when the team wanted to eat pasta one night.

“I made the arrangements,” he said.

Two longtime hosts are Pete Krainock and Harry Eisenhauer, who have volunteered 16 of the 17 years the tournament has been in Danville.

“It is a lot of fun,” Krainock said.

Eisenhauer made arrangements for a practice at Danville Lutheran School, and when he took them there one of the teachers offered to feed them the next day after their game. When they returned, the students were lined up to “high five” the players.

“(The hosts) are the voice of the community,” Cooke said. “They are the guides. They provide the connection.”

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