By Barbara Augsdorfer, Editor for the Effingham Herald

Matthew “Showbiz” Jackson stopped by the Herald office May 10 to promote his upcoming Hoops for Hope basketball camp for kids age 8-18 to be held at Effingham County Middle School, June 24-29. The camp will run each day 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Hoops for Home has partnered with Effingham County-based “The Village it Takes” at www.wearetvit.org for the camp.

Jackson grew up in Savannah, so to hold a camp in Effingham County is like coming home.

“I always wanted to come back home and give back to the community. But when thevillageittakes.org reached out to us about doing a camp in this area, and we can reach the whole area, Savannah as well as here,” Jackson said. “It's perfect to have us come back, bring some local guys from the area to camp; and I'm bringing some former Globetrotters as well.”

“Showbiz” played with the Harlem Globetrotters from 1987-2007 and now lives near Atlanta.

This first year for the camp is limited to 100 participants, but Jackson hopes to expand it to more locations within Effingham County next year.

In addition to honing skills for the court, camp participants will learn character building, anti-bullying, and team leadership, according to Jackson.

Jackson will be joined by former Globetrotters Robert “So Smooth” Fairley, Bruce “Sugar Bear” Capers, Cyrus Hunter, currently a basketball coach at Benedictine Military School in Savannah; and Greg Myrick, alumnus of Thompkins High School in Savannah.

Hoops for Hope costs $300 per child, but there are discounted rates for siblings, and payment options.

“We’re going to see what skills they have at the beginning (of camp) and try to get him to that next level,” Jackson explained. “We're going to have character-building, leadership, and everything like that. It's totally filled with other things besides basketball. We focus mainly on team leadership and life after basketball, working out in the real world.

“We’ll also have a little razzle-dazzle (Globetrotter tricks) in there as well,” Jackson added. 

To celebrate the end of the camp on June 29, there will be a tailgate party for the community with food vendors, bouncy houses, fun and games, according to Jackson. The tailgate party will run all day until 4 p.m. at Effingham County Middle School.

The Village it Takes is also collecting new or gently used athletic shoes for its “Step Ahead Shoe Drive” to help “young students with the tools they need to succeed,” according to the website.

For more information, to sponsor a child, or to register children for the camp, click on H4H Basketball Camp | WeareTVIT.org. A discount is available for registration before June 1, in addition to payment options.