A team of U.S. Air Force service members defeated an opposing squad of South Brunswick High School students and staff, but the real winners of the charity basketball game are pediatric patients and children in need that The Marisa Tufaro Foundation serves.

The contest was part of the second annual Viking Cup for Philanthropy, a three-event competition that generates funds for charity. The event kicked off with a dodgeball tournament in February and will conclude with a volleyball tournament before the academic year ends.

The basketball game featured a three-point halftime shooting contest, giveaways, and concessions. U.S. Air Force recruiters were in attendance to answer questions students had about military service.

Students from the James Kimple Center of South Brunswick High School, who have been participating in the Chick-fil-A Academy, a national scholastic leadership program that encourages impact through action, collaborated with the high school’s athletic department and U.S. Air Force on the event.

South Brunswick is one of more than 1,200 high schools nationwide that participates in the Chick-fil-A Academy, which fosters essential skills including servant leadership, teamwork, communication, and innovation.

The James Kimple Center students have participated in a district book giveaway as well as a Do Good December event during which non-perishable food and clothing items were collected and donated to the township’s social services.

The charity basketball game was an end-of-year service project for the James Kimple Center students, who are grateful for having been able to collaborate with the North Brunswick Chick-fil-A franchise. South Brunswick’s James Kimple Center students are among more than 194,000 nationwide who are part of the Chick-fil-A Academy.

The inaugural Viking Cup for Philanthropy involved more than 250 high school students and staff members and generated $1,200 for the nonprofit last year.

Jim Gano, owner of Crown Trophy of Flemington, generously donated a beautiful trophy which is annually presented to the winners of the Viking Cup for Philanthropy. The trophy is prominently displayed in a case at the high school.

Established in July 2017, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has already made a profound impact, donating nearly $350,000 and spearheading multiple community initiatives to fulfill its mission.

The nonprofit has also donated thousands of toys, nonperishable food items, winter jackets, baby supplies, school supplies, and other items upon which it has placed no monetary value.

In addition, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has awarded $29,500 in college academic scholarships to 42 exceptional Middlesex County high school students who advance the nonprofit’s mission and sent 20 elementary and middle school students to a weeklong summer art camp at Rutgers University’s Zimmerli Art Museum.

Born with a complex cardiac defect, Marisa survived six open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant before succumbing to a rare form of cancer in 2017 following a valiant battle. She was just 13 years old.

Despite being hospitalized for more than two years and maintaining hundreds of doctor’s appointments, Marisa was an honor roll student involved in myriad extracurricular activities who lived a vibrant life that inspired.

South Brunswick’s football, basketball, baseball, cheerleading, soccer, wrestling, swimming, golf, and bowling teams are among those at the high school that have supported The Marisa Tufaro Foundation through their participation in charity events or fundraisers.

“The beauty about being at South Brunswick is we already have such a great foundation of service throughout our school-community,” South Brunswick High School Athletics Director CJ Hendricks said.

“There’s plenty of organizations that do great work. A lot of our sports teams are involved in philanthropy. I think just trying to connect more on a global scale, in terms of getting our entire student body involved in conjunction with our athletic department is really just the goal (of the Viking Cup for Philanthropy).

“I want all our kids to contribute as much as they can so when they leave South Brunswick and they go to a university or they go out into the community, they have a sense of pride in what they’ve done and want to continue to pay those great gestures forward.”