Grace Wants Community To Help Set World Record Again
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
WINONA LAKE – Grace College students want to reclaim the school’s world record, and they’re asking the community to help. In 2011, approximately 400 people participated in a Guinness World Record-breaking game of Knockout. The game was organized as a fundraiser for then Grace senior Jeremy Mohr, who was paralyzed in an accident in fall 2010. Then on April 17, 2012, Iowa State University claimed the world record with 571 participants at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. Grace sophomores Allie Kauffman and Rachel Franklin, co-organizers of Grace’s attempt this year to set the record for the longest game of Knockout, hope that at least 572 people participate in Grace’s attempt to take back the world record. The game of Knockout will be April 19 at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m., at the Grace College Orthopaedic Capital Center, Winona Lake. Cost is at least $1 to raise money for MudLOVE and Integrated Community Development International, which helps provide clean water in Africa. Participants in Knockout must be at least 5 years old. “We do ask people to get there early so we can start lining people up,” said Kauffman. “Once it’s time to start the game, all the participants have to be there. We can’t add people once it’s started,” stated Franklin. By coming early, the rules of the game will also only have to be provided once. According to Kauffman, Knockout is a basketball game involving participants lined up behind the free throw line. The first two people in line each have basketballs. The first person shoots. If they make it, she said, they go back in line. If they miss, and the person behind them makes a shot, the first person then is out. The game continues until there’s only one person left. Franklin said there will be some nice prizes for the winner. “We’re inviting the whole community to come out,” Kauffman said. Franklin said they’ve advertised the event on the radio and through flyers to get the word out. They want as many people to show up as possible. Grace’s attempt in 2011 took about two hours, Kauffman said, while Iowa State broke the record in about 2-1/2 hours. “You can expect it to take at least 2-1/2 hours this time,” she suggested. The event will have an official referee, and other activities to keep people busy once they are knocked out. Kauffman said they will have corn hole, face painting and concessions. It will be a fun family night, she said, and MudLOVE will sell its wares. Even if a person hits an air ball or is knocked out early, that person still counts toward the world record. They only have to remain at the site until they are officially knocked out of the game. Kauffman said while some may participate to be competitive, others will take part just to say they were part of a world record. Since all the proceeds of the event benefit MudLOVE and ICDI, donations will be accepted at the event. “We should have people directing traffic, too,” said Franklin. “Only one set of doors at the Orthopaedic Capital Center will be open. The upper doors will be unlocked.” The Sport Management Department of Grace College is organizing the event to provide practical experience for Grace students. Kauffman said there will be about 40 volunteers from Grace assisting the committee to make the event happen. “It does provide a lot of experience with organizing big events, but it’s also a lot of fun. I’m really looking forward to this,” Franklin stated. “We’re always looking for ways to connect Grace to the community. It will be a fun night for the whole family,” Kauffman said.
