Joe Pignatelli Gives Unified Basketball a Voice – by Sandy McBride

Joe Pignatelli, a senior at Mechanicville High School, has gone from being a quiet, withdrawn, often-picked-on teenager to a spokesman for the Unified Basketball Program which is under the auspices of both the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and Special Olympics.  Unified Basketball is a rapidly growing sport which brings together students, both boys and girls, with intellectual disabilities and students with no such disabilities and gives them the opportunity to work together and shine on the basketball court.

Article in the 05-19 edition.

The Express Newspaper May 19, 2016

Elks All Star Basketball – by Sandy McBride

It was “community” at its best when the second annual Elks All-Star Basketball Event took place in the Mechanicville High School gym on Saturday afternoon. Planned and organized by Ashley Kucharski and Kaile Kenyon with the aid and support of Mechanicville/Stillwater Elks Lodge #1403, this event gives children with disabilities, challenges and limitations the opportunity to participate in skills-building exercises and drills on the basketball court, and have a whole lot of fun doing it. 37 boys and girls from our local communities . . .

Read the entire article in the 04/07 edition.

The Express Newspaper – January 21, 2016

All Saints on the Hudson Basketball Benefit – by S. McBride

“Start Your Engines for a Cure!”

This was the theme of the 7th annual All Saints on the Hudson Youth Council Benefit Basketball Game held last week at the Mechanicville High School gym.  With a fanciful design of a tugboat and a race car on white T-shirts and royal blue T-shirts, the theme honored Tim Pisculli of Mechanicville, a tugboat captain, and Karen Schultz of Stillwater, a NASCAR racing fan, who have both passed away recently after courageously battling cancer.

Read the entire article in the May 7th issue.

PISCULLI & SCHULTZ youth council and families

The Express Newspaper – May 7, 2015

Mechanicville-Stillwater Elks All-Star Basketball Event – by S. McBride

It was a day of fun and excitement for some very special boys and girls in our communities on Saturday, March 7, when the Mechanicville/Stillwater Elks Lodge #1403 sponsored an All-Star Basketball Event at the Mechanicville High School gymnasium for children with special needs, an event that gave these kids an opportunity to show what they can do on a basketball court.

Read the entire article in the March 19th issue.