The following is a press release from Innovia Foundation:
Spokane, Wash. – Each year, the Kalispel Summer Slam, a free 3-on-3 basketball tournament, draws crowds of youth and adults to share in a fun-filled day of basketball and community awareness. In honor of its 50th Anniversary theme of bringing people together to Celebrate Community, Innovia Foundation is proud to announce its sponsorship of the 2024 Summer Slam on June 22 and 23. Hosted by the Kalispel Tribe and Kalispel Casino, the family-friendly event promotes the benefits of youth sports involvement and healthy living, while raising awareness around violence and substance abuse in the region.
“As our future, we want our youth to have positive events and opportunities to succeed and thrive in healthy, drug- and violence-free communities,” says Mark Zorica of the Kalispel Tribe of Indians. “The Kalispel Tribe champions this event as a means of prevention and to bring our communities together to raise awareness. We simply think it’s amazing.”
As Pend Oreille County’s only 3-on-3 basketball tournament, the event will take place in the Kalispel Casino Parking Lot in Cusick, Washington. Brackets will be arranged into male, female and coed age categories for the following ages: 6-7, 8-10, 10-12, 12-14 and 14-18 (High School). The adult bracket is open.
Tyson Degenhart, the 2021-22 Mountain West Freshman of the Year from Boise State’s basketball team, will be the special guest in attendance at this year’s Summer Slam.
Those interested in volunteering can register and learn more at kalispeltribe.com/kalispel-summer-slam. As the community foundation for Eastern Washington and North Idaho, Innovia Foundation has invested in the health and wellbeing of youth and families for over five decades.
“Sports represent a powerful unifying force for our youth and communities,” says Shelly O’Quinn, CEO of Innovia Foundation. “Innovia is honored to invest in the 2024 Summer Slam as a beloved annual event that rallies the community together to uplift the youth of Pend Oreille County.”
Innovia’s investment in this event is part of a series of events and activities Innovia is gifting to communities across Eastern Washington and North Idaho in celebration of the Foundation’s 50th Anniversary in 2024. More information about these events can be found at innovia.org/fifty
