Record-Breaking Utah Basketball Marathon Raises Money For Fallen Heroes Scholarship Foundation

For five days straight, a group of 24 basketball players will compete on a local Utah court in order to break a world record and raise money for families of fallen service members.

The recently launched Fallen Heroes Scholarship Foundation helps surviving children and spouses of killed soldiers, police officers and fire fighters pay for their education expenses. The founder, Kurt Spencer -- who's also a basketball junkie -- decided to help get his charity off the ground by rallying players to participate in a 109-hour fundraising basketball marathon, KSL reports.

"These people give their lives and their time unconditionally, especially our soldiers who go overseas, and they do it without thinking about it," Spencer told the news outlet.

The current world record for longest basketball marathon is 107 hours, set by a grammar school in Hungary in 2010, according to Guinness World Records.

Most of the players have served in the military or have friends who have served. Their goal is to raise $50,000 for the organization.

"It's a good cause for the foundation," Marine recruiter Anthony Holdren told the Salt Lake Tribune, "and I wanted to test myself. I'm a Marine. I like a challenge."

Comments

[Bob Macfarlane]

03:26 PM on 12/27/2011

I think this is wonderful but I thought that the children of KIA's received educational benefits.