photo by: Derek Redd

Bethlehem Apostolic Temple’s charity basketball game will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Alma Grace McDonough Center at Wheeling University. Pictured are, from left, Wheeling Mayor Denny Magruder, Wheeling University Associate VP of Development Rick Moore, Wheeling University President Dianna Vargo, West Virginia Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman, R-Ohio, Bishop Darrell Cummings of the Bethlehem Apostolic Temple, Union Local Schools Superintendent Zac Shutler, Union Local Assistant Basketball Coach and Teacher Nick Nardo and Belmont Savings Bank Executive VP Joe Ticich.

WHEELING — Bishop Darrell Cummings of Bethlehem Apostolic Temple is looking for folks to help his church’s holiday giveaways – because he believes there will be many more needing help over the next couple of months.

The church will hold its annual charity basketball game, pitting the Ohio Valley Lions against the Ohio Valley All-Stars, at 6 p.m. Sunday at Wheeling University’s Alma Grace McDonough Center. The game will feature local leaders and celebrities either playing a full-court basketball game or participating in a shootout to raise funds for the giveaways.

All proceeds for the night will go toward the North Wheeling Dream Center’s annual Thanksgiving and Christmas giveaways, where hundreds each year receive food, toys, clothing and more.

Cummings sees signs that those giveaways will see more of those in need than in recent years. The current federal government shutdown has left federal employees without paychecks and those receiving SNAP benefits without those starting in November. Cummings said he sees parallels between the current state of things and the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re in the midst of economic challenges, so there may be more people who need help than normally do,” he said. “I know that during the pandemic, one Thanksgiving, we helped more than 1,000 people because of what was going on. I’m getting the feeling we might be getting to that level again.”

The success of the basketball game becomes even more important, Cummings said, as the church has struggled to obtain the number of sponsors for the giveaways as its has in the past.

Organizations from both sides of the Ohio River will be helping on Sunday — Wheeling University, Union Local Schools, the city of Wheeling, West Virginia Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman, R-Ohio, and Belmont Savings Bank among them.

“Wheeling University is grateful to be part of this wonderful, wonderful event,” said Wheeling University President Dianna Vargo. “We’re here to help the community and this event will help us do so and, of course, align with our mission of service.”

“We pride ourselves at the city talking about quality of life,” Wheeling Mayor Denny Magruder said. “Part of that quality of life is not just all those things we enjoy, but it’s people like Bishop Cummings and the Bethlehem Apostolic Temple, and the things that they do. We’re proud to be a part of it.”

There will be free autographs and photos with team members following the game. The Thanksgiving food giveaway is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at the North Wheeling Dream Center. Call 304-233-8899 for more information on both events.