SPOKANE, Wash. – The Lilac City Legends are using basketball to bring Spokane youth and families together — while connecting them with resources designed to strengthen the community.
The Legends hosted another Legendary Nights event Friday at the North Bank Basketball Courts at Riverfront Park. The free event featured basketball, music, food, contests and giveaways, along with access to community resources and opportunities for young people.
For Michael Bethany, president of the Lilac City Legends, the idea started after he visited the courts and saw how many people were already using them.
“I just saw how active it was, and I just thought it was an opportunity to create an atmosphere for community,” Bethany said.
The Legendary Nights events are a partnership between the Lilac City Legends, Spokane Word and Northeast Youth & Family Services. The program also works with Roots of Peace, a Spokane Word program focused on violence intervention and prevention.
Bethany said basketball provides a natural platform to engage young people while creating opportunities to address issues beyond the court.
“We want to bring basketball and use basketball as a tool and as a platform to bring violence intervention, violence prevention,” Bethany said. “But most of all, just bring community.”
Friday’s event was the third Legendary Night of the summer. Organizers had planned another event last week but canceled because of smoky conditions caused by wildfires.
The series will continue later this month, including a special back-to-school event on Aug. 21.
The Legends hope to keep the events going beyond the summer and potentially move them indoors when the weather changes.
For Bethany, the goal is to make the Legends more than just a basketball team.
“We’re trying to be more intentional with getting into the community and creating opportunities for fans and the community to engage, enhance and be entertained,” Bethany said.
That community focus is what Bethany says makes Legendary Nights different.
“We give away gift cards. We have free food. We got DJ Weezy over here,” he said. “They get a chance just to have a legendary night.”
The next Legendary Night is scheduled for Aug. 21 at Riverfront Park.
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