By Dan Montgomery
It was like a three-point play:
1: An enCircle foster and adoption family and a Family Care Home resident hung out and shot some hoops with a trio of Virginia Commonwealth University Men’s Basketball players.
2: Those same enCirclers enjoyed complementary Siegel Center seat for the Rams’ comeback win over Duquesne Saturday.
3: The VCU victory resulted in a $5,000 donation to enCircle.
It’s all thanks to Virginia Commonwealth University and Synergy Technical, enCircle’s longtime IT provider. As a corporate sponsor of VCU Basketball, Richmond-based Synergy invited players Vince Williams Jr. (No. 10), Marcus Tsohonis (No. 5), and Levi Stockard III (No. 34) to meet the Logan family and Family Care Home resident Anna Hibbit and her father.
Anna and the Logan kids were a little shy when the players first arrived at enCircle’s Richmond office, but they were soon shaking hands, playing games, taking pictures, asking questions, and shooting hoops (with a toy rim and backboard set up in a hallway).
After describing enCircle’s various programs in Virginia and West Virginia, CEO Ray Ratke — a devoted fan of James Madison University sports — thanked the players and said, "I normally say, 'Go Dukes!' but now I’m saying, 'Go Rams!' "
The players told Ratke they felt fortunate to be in a position to brighten someone else’s day. "If we can make them smile, well, that’s pretty good," Stockard said.
Ratke was certainly smiling behind his mask when Synergy Technical CEO Rohana Meade vowed to donate to enCircle $50 for every VCU score and another $1,000 if the Rams beat Duquesne.
"We go back 10 years, and Synergy’s been such a great support to enCircle and our mission over those 10 years," Ratke told Meade. "I just really appreciate it and appreciate you thinking of us for this event."
"You know how much we love you guys!" Meade answered
Williams sat out Saturday’s game with an ankle injury, but as Anna, her dad and four of the Logans cheered them on, Stockard and Tsohonis both played and scored — two baskets for Stockard and four (including three three-pointers!) for Tsohonis — in the Rams’ 71-62 victory.
That score, plus some rounding up, meant a $5,000 donation from Synergy Technical to enCircle.
Swish! Nothing but net!
