Putnam Rotary hosts
UC basketball team

Coach Sherry Winn Coach Lynne Fitzgerald and Don and Michelle Broyles Rotarian Chet Marshall teaching the team to eat ice cream Rotarians Joe Haynes (wife Karen), Mary Keely, Michelle Broyles enjoy stories from Coaches Sherry and Lynne.

Most students head home for the holidays, but those that have a passion for basketball stay behind and continue to represent their university in their field or court of sport. One of the problems the University of Charleston's Women's Basketball team experiences during those lonely days on campus is the fact that the dining facilities are closed.

The Putnam Rotary Club was made aware of a program that UC's Head Coach Sherry Winn (a popular speaker at Putnam Rotary) implemented a few years ago to have fans host the basketball team in their homes for dinner or provide funds to buy dinner at local restaurants.

The community-minded, civic-minded Putnam Rotary Club took action and agreed to host the team today for a covered dish dinner, including a "heavenly ham" at the "Keely Ranch" (Rotarians Bob and Mary Keely Putnam County residence) last Tuesday evening, January 8. It was a very rewarding evening in every sense of the word.

Bob Keely recalled that when the UC van pulled up in front of the house he was "amazed at how many young ladies poured out of the van." He said, "They kept rolling out beyond what I thought the van could possibly hold, 16 players and the driver. We're talking basketball players that are taller than the average college student and they just kept rolling out of that van."

Mary was also amazed and said she would never forget the experience because every one the basketball players were so congenial, knew how to have fun, were extremely polite and ate 48 deviled eggs in a matter of minutes. Home made ice cream sundaes were also very popular. For Rotarians Don and Michelle Broyles, Chet and Vickie Marshall, Joe and Karen Haynes and the Keelys it was a memorable event they are ready to repeat sooner rather than later.

Some of the Rotarians followed this great evening with another great evening two nights later watching th UC women play Bluefield State with a huge victory. They soon found out the extremely polite young ladies were extremely talented basketball players, the wizards of deviled egg eaters were also wizards when it came to the basketball court with a focus to play hard, have fun and win for Coach Winn and the University of Charleston,.

The Putnam County Rotary Club were winners as well by fulfilling a need and bringing smiles to some wonderful young ladies during the holiday season.

Go UC Lady Golden Eagles, you've got a whole club of new fans!