Bridgman and Berrien Springs schools are helping the effort to collect bottled water for Flint residents. Admission will be free to all athletic events at both high schools tonight and over the weekend with the donation of a case of bottled water per person. Bridgman athletic director Kevin Schmaltz tells Sports Radio 1400 WSJM’s Phil McDonald the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
“It’s really caught on,” says Schmaltz. “Competing schools have really bought in as well and they’re pushing it. It’s really a joint effort.”
The Bees girls’ basketball coach Todd Hendricks is proud of the effort by his team to collect water donations. “It’s a real good thing for them to understand there’s things outside of Bridgman,” Hendricks said Thursday morning on a live broadcast on Sports Radio 1400 WSJM from Bridgman High School. “It’s awesome to see them step up the way they are.”
At Berrien Springs, they will have a $1 basketball shoot during halftime tonight of the girls’ basketball game, with all proceeds going for more bottled water. Bridgman will also take cash donations for water in place of admission to the games. St. Joseph Public Schools announced earlier this week they are collecting bottled water in classrooms to be given to Flint residents.
Flint is reeling after high levels of lead were discovered in the drinking water last fall. Tap water is unsafe to drink, even though the city has switched back to the Detroit water system. That’s because a lot of damage was done to pipes by highly corrosive water from the Flint River. State and federal investigations are underway into the problem. Berrien Springs is also accepting donations of cases of bottled water for athletic admissions this weekend, with that water being donated to Flint.
