BP Lions Club gives donation to support athletes

Madison Worke, Taylor Hagen and John Rumpza will all have the honor of attending this year's Minnesota Basketball Coach Association's All Star games thanks, in part, to the Blooming Prairie Lions Club. 
While the talent and character of these three students is what certainly made them eligible for the invitation, the Lions Club will foot the bill for the weekends. 
Rumpza, Worke and Hagen presented to the Lions Club and were awarded $300 each for transportation and fees. Each of the three athletes will get to partake in competition loaded with the state's elite players, seminars and they will also receive jerseys. 
“They were really generous,” Rumpza said of the Lions Club. 
Lions Club President Erik Vigeland said the Club was more than welcome to help the three seniors.
“The three of them came to our March meeting and gave a short presentation on the All Star program,” said Vigeland. “They then said that they were looking for donations. I opened it up to our membership for discussion, and after some discussion, there was a motion to pay for all three of the senior athletes. The membership voted unanimously to pay.”
Vigeland added that the seniors will spend some time promoting the Lions Club, as well as working at some events. 
Grateful for the donation, the three are greatly looking forward to the event. 
“It feels really special, because there are only 40 guys that get chosen,” said Rumpza. “It's a big honor to be up there with some of the better players in the state.”
Worke echoed Rumpza's sentiments, adding how special it was to be chosen alongside Hagen.
“Only 10 girls from each class get invited. It's pretty cool that Taylor and I were both invited.”
Both Rumpza and Worke have experience playing on a team of strangers, as both played on American Athletic Union (AAU) teams in the summer. They shared that this will make them more comfortable, but that there are challenges in this as well. 
“t's definitely nerve-racking at first when you don't know their style,” said Rumpza. “Once you get to know them and learn how they play it's a lot of fun.”
“I always think it's fun,” said Worke. “You get to meet new people have a good time doing the thing you love.”
Rumpza will have a better opportunity to learn his teammates, as he will play a game both Friday and Saturday on March 27 and 28. 
Worke and Hagen will each play a single game on April 11. 
For Rumpza, one of the things he looks most forward to is seeing and playing friends from AAU. Worke is looking forward to the high level of play, as this will be the last basketball game of her high school career. 
Vigeland was thrilled to give the three seniors this opportunity, saying that the three are “well-deserving” of the opportunity.
“Like the BP Lions Club, they represent what is good about this great community. We know that they will represent Blooming Prairie and the Lions Club well at the All Star weekend and we’re happy to help them out.”