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Bibles And Basketball Raises Money For Hoops 4 Shorty & More
Bibles and Basketball will host a pretournament event to raise money to support amputees ahead of the annual Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational Basketball Tournament. On Tuesday, December 27 from 5-7 p.m., Bibles and Basketball will host the event for athletes that may have disabilities.
The invitational tournament will be held from Wednesday through Saturday, December 28-31 at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, located at 3021 Space Coast Wy. in Wesley Chapel, and over 180 teams will participate from around the country. The tournament is the largest Christmas high school invitational tournament in the country and has continued to grow since its first tournament in 2015.
“I believe that we can win youth and adults over to our Lord via sports and via business,” said Bibles and Basketball founder and coach Ed Treimanis.
Former Harlem Globetrotter Larry ‘Shorty’ Coleman will attend to help raise money for Helping Hands Ministry and 50 Legs. The money raised for Helping Hands Ministry will be donated to Hoops 4 Shorty to help support the legendary Globetrotter, who had his leg amputated almost two years ago. The rest of the money will go to 50 Legs, which gives prosthetic arms and legs to child amputees.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for individuals and businesses to support the basketball tournament. For donations of $500 or greater, businesses and individuals can have their logos or names printed on the back of the tournament T-shirts. For $100, companies will be featured on the basketball tournament’s website.
Tickets to watch the tournament will be available as well, but those who are disabled or families of the disabled individual will be let in without charge.
“There [were not] that many gyms and there [were not] that many basketball camps in the Greater Brandon area,” said Treimanis about why he started Bibles and Basketball.
The program includes time at the beginning of each session for Bible study before engaging in fellowship among athletes.
For more information on Bibles and Basketball, visit www.biblesandbasketball.net. To learn more about the Tampa Bay Invitational Christmas Basketball Tournament, visit www.tbchristmasinv.com.
Bibles & Basketball Camp Featuring Harlem Globetrotters To Hold Charity Game In Fall
By Ivy Velazquez
For 12 years, Ed Treimanis has led and overseen the Bibles and Basketball camp at Immanuel Lutheran, a program dedicated to sharing the love of God and basketball with kids. Treimanis has worked with a few basketball celebrities in running his camp and assisting in other similar camps such as the Harlem Legends Shoot For the Stars camp held at the Ministries and Activities Center (MAC) at the First Baptist Church of Brandon. One of these is former Harlem Globetrotter, Larry “Shorty” Coleman.
Treimanis and Shorty met five years ago, and after discovering that they both had a passion for basketball and helping children, they started working together. Although Shorty comes to Brandon primarily for the Harlem Legends camp, they have set it up so both camps do a charity game every year together.
“I’ve only missed one Bibles and Basketball game and that was due to medical injury,” said Shorty.
Shorty is involved in many charities in addition to the two camps. In fact, he has been partaking in charities since 1994. He also has been involved with hospitals such as St. Jude’s and spent time with religious figureheads such as Pope John Paul II, but Shorty’s main focus has been to teach kids basketball and how to continue to be positive. He feels that this is important in ensuring kids a safe and bright future.
Though the Bibles and Basketball camp was not held this summer, Treimanis still assisted with the Legends camp with Shorty. This year the camp was held Monday through Friday, June 20-24. Though Treimanis’ camp was not held, the annual charity game will still be taking place in the fall. As of this time, there is no specific date, but Treimanis has already been in contact with Bloomingdale High School and Bell Shoals Baptist Church about using their gyms for the game.
Many who have worked with Treimanis speak highly of his passion for his camp and basketball. Jim Price, a former NBA player who began his career with the LA Lakers, and now local to Valrico, has participated in past charity games and had especially kind words to share.
“We’re all given a talent by God and Ed just loves sports and I believe that this is part of his ministry,” said Price.
More about camp and updates on the game in the fall, visit www.biblesandbasketball.net. Information on the Harlem Legends camp can be found at www.harlemlegends.com.
Bibles & Basketballs Camp Ready For 11th Year Of Teaching Inspiration
By Marie Gilmore
Eleven years and more than 500 campers later, Ed Treimanis from Ameriprise financial, a local financial planner, dad and basketball player and coach has offered up his time each summer to host the Bibles and Basketballs Camp.
The camp has been associated with Immanuel Lutheran School over the years and is a week-long camp being held Monday-Friday, July 15-19 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. daily with an All-stars vs. campers game on Friday night at 7 p.m. which is open to the public. This year’s location is being confirmed and will be posted at the new website www.biblesandbasketball.net.
Four years ago, Treimanis joined forces with the Harlem Globetrotter’s Legend’s, in town to host a camp and expanded the reach of the Bibles and Basketballs camp.
Once again this year, Harlem Globetrotter’s Legend Larry ‘Shorty’ Coleman will be coaching kids at the camp and playing in the All-star game and hints that more legends may be at the final Friday night game.
“This is my one week to give back to the kids,” explained Treimanis. “We have impacted more than 500 campers over the years and we keep getting better and better.”
Larry ‘Shorty’ Coleman is proud to be back for the camp and was in town to promote the camp in June.
“This has been a true blessing in more than one way,” said Coleman. “Sports can lead to both positive and negative things but with the bible, there is never anything but good.”
The camp costs $125 for the week. This year’s sponsorship roster includes, Neal Kahn of Olin Mott Tire Store and Ameriprise Financial along with Osprey Observer, Logo ASAP, David Villa from Imperial Press Direct and many more.
The charity game will take place Friday, July 19 at 7 p.m. and includes the kids’ game and Harlem Legend Larry ‘Shorty’ Coleman and NBA All star Jim Price and maybe a few additional pros. For information, contact Treimanis at 293-3339 or visit www.biblesandbasketball.net which frequently updated with the latest information.
Basketball Camps Give Athletes Chance To Interact With Harlem Legends Players
From June 18-22 young athletes have the opportunity to participate in both the Shoot for the Stars Basketball camp and Bibles and Basketball camp. At the end of the week there will be a game between the Harlem Legends and local community members.
This year young basketball enthusiasts will be thrilled to learn of two basketball camp opportunities which will help enhance their skills, their faith and give them the opportunity to interact with Harlem Legends basketball players. Both camps take place the week of June 18-22.
The first camp is the Shoot for the Stars Basketball Camp and Clinic, which will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Brandon. The Shoot for the Stars Basketball Camps and Clinics will allow campers to spend one week of camp with special guest professional athletes, including former members of the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters, Michael Douglas and Larry “Shorty” Coleman.
The second camp is Bibles and Basketball, which will be held from 1:45-4:45 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church & School. Director and founder of Bibles and Basketball, Ed Treimanis said, “Each day there will be 15 minutes of Bible study and then the rest of the time is dedicated to basketball. There will also be guest appearances by Larry ‘Shorty’ Coleman and Jimmy Bolden, legendary referee and world’s funniest ref.”
The Shoot for the Stars Basketball Camp and Clinic will cost $130 for the week and Bibles and Basketball will cost $50 for those who register before June 1 and $65 after June 1. Campers who sign up for both camps will get $10 off the cost of both camps.
A charity basketball game will take place at the end of the week, on Friday, June 22, at 7 p.m. The game will be between the Harlem Legends, including Coleman and Bolden, and local business representatives and community members. Twenty percent of the proceeds from the game will go to local charities.
The First Baptist Church of Brandon is located at 216 N Parsons Ave. in Brandon. For more information about the camps offered or to register, visit www.fbcbrandon.org/mac.
Immanuel Lutheran Church & School is located at 2913 John Moore Rd. in Brandon. For more information on Bibles and Basketball or the charity game, contact Treimanis at 623-5713 or e-mail edtcfp@gmail.com.
Local Sponsors Contribute to Summer Bible and Basketball Camp’s Success
What do 18 coaches, 26 corporate sponsors, 93 children and $4,000 in cash and donations equal? One of the most successful summer camps in the area.
Bibles and Basketball Summer Camp—as it has come to be called over the years—was once again hosted by Immanuel Lutheran Church and School and led by Ed Treimanis, Chief Financial Planner of Ameriprise Financial Services, who was proud to announce that this year’s camp was an overwhelming success.
Due to the overwhelming support from local Platinum corporate sponsors, Women’s Care of Brandon, William F. Price Foundation, Treimanis, and the camp’s original sponsor Neal A. Kahn of Olin Mott Tire Store, Carlos Velez of the Orlando Magic, who has co-sponsored this year’s camp and other individual and corporate sponsors, for the first time all 93 children that attended camp did so free of cost. “Our goal to ensure that no child is turned away from our Bibles and Basketballs camp due to finances was reached beyond our expectation,” Treimanis said.
“Originally, we were able to let the first 77 children enjoy the camp without cost, but after the support from the community, we knew this number would be much higher.” The camp concluded with a pizza party as well as an evening charity basketball tournament at Immanuel Lutheran Church and School, which welcomed more than 200 parents, fans and local sponsors, who came out to support the event and to give back to their community.
Treimanis and the Immanuel Lutheran Annual Basketball Camp have chosen (Sharing Hope for Orphans and Every Soul) SHOES to receive half the proceeds of the charity game. “We would like to extend a special thank you to Dick’s Sporting Goods, who donated equipment and prizes for the camp including basketballs, Nike bags, whistles as well as gift certificates for coaches and volunteers and coupon books for basketball related items from Dick’s,” said Ameriprise intern Jeremy Whitehead.
During a recently held banquet at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, at 9331 Adamo Dr., in Tampa, awards were handed out to coaches and players for their participation. Besides the willing support of Beef ‘O’ Brady’s management team, Treimanis also acknowledged Marie Gilmore of the Osprey Observer and the Christian Voice, along with Carlos Velez and Pat Williams of the Orlando Magic for getting the word out prior to camp.
For further information feel free to call Treimanis 623-5713 or contact Immanuel Lutheran School at 685-1978. To learn more about SHOES, please visit www.destinyshouse.com/shoes.