CICERO — After a COVID hiatus, the CanTeen’s fundraising juggernaut, the Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, returns to Cicero on Aug. 13-14. But the tournament is in need of sponsors to fund the event itself.
“Gus Macker’s in need of backers,” said CanTeen Director Amy Crowley.
The CanTeen, which serves as an afterschool haven for students at Cicero-North Syracuse High School and North Syracuse Junior High School, receives funding from the towns of Clay, Salina and Cicero as well as the village of North Syracuse, as well as some state and county funding. The Friends of the CanTeen, a 501(c)(3) organization, raises money to bridge the gap between government funding and the center’s needs.
“If any of these streams dries up or shrinks, the only source that can make adjustments is the Friends group,” former CanTeen Director Toni Brauchle told the Star-Review in 2018. “They are left shouldering the burden of any shortfall.”
While the CanTeen benefits from Macker revenue, the greater Cicero community reaps the benefits as well.
“We get about 5,000 spectators and players for the whole weekend,” Crowley said. “It brings money back to the town — there’s hotels, there’s restaurants [that benefit].”
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities for Gus Macker, visit canteencny.com/events/macker/ or email friendsofthecanteen@gmail.com.
