Annual Dunaway Classic Weekend: Sport, Service and Scholarship

Durham, NC – The Hoop’n for Leukemia Game on June 1st kicks off the Second Annual Dunaway Classic Weekend which intersects sport, service, and scholarship in The Triangle.

David Garvin Jr. is the co-founder and executive director of The Humbled Initiative, a non-profit founded in December 2017 after he started his clothing line, Humility Clothing Co., in 2015.

“Things that we do at The Humbled Initiative are just trying to find different ways of helping out the community,” Garvin Jr. said. “Whether there is a need for youth who need scholarships, as we have our T.J. Dunaway Scholarship that we give away each year to those recipients that are seniors in high school. We do feed the homeless as well and any other necessity, or need, that’s community-based; we try to make sure that we have a way to help that.”

The weekend is in honor of Timothy Dunaway, Jr. who died in 2010 due to leukemia. The Hoop’n for Leukemia game on Saturday will be at Sherwood Githens Middle School (4800 Old Chapel Hill Rd, Durham) from noon to 5:00 pm, with the first game at 1:00 pm. Admission is free for youth, 0-18, and $10 for adults.

“The first game is the community team versus first responders which is made up of the local police department and firefighters,” Garvin Jr. said. “Next we have a dunk contest. And then we have our main game which is comprised of local celebrities and some others. It’s hosted by Autumn Joi of K97.5 this year. This event helps raise awareness of lymphoma and leukemia, as we raise money for the fight against that disease, as well as providing funds for our T.J. Dunaway Scholarship.”

The two coaches for the celebrity game are former North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball and NBA player David Noel and local sports blogger Quierra Luck.

Notable celebrity game participants include McDonald’s All-American and Wake Forest Demon Deacon Eric Williams, King Draft, Shane Clark, players from the Raleigh Firebirds, former college basketball players and other local figures in The Triangle.

There will be plenty of giveaways on Saturday. One lucky person will walk away with a brand-new basketball goal. Moreover, two tickets for Sunday’s gala will be handed out.

The gala will be at Reality Ministries in Durham (916 Lamond Ave, Durham). Doors open at 5:00 pm, and the event is hosted by Tru Pettigrew; the food is catered by Virtuous Delight Sweets and Catering; and a special performance by Allie Capo.

Raven Gibbs, the CEO of Motiv8, Inc., a performing arts non-profit in Durham, and Jesse Padilla-Algria, the owner of Right Cut Barbershop in Cary, are the 2019 Never Quit Gala Recipients. Gibbs, Padilla-Algria and the three T.J. Dunaway Scholarship recipients, who each receive $1,000, will be honored at the event.

“I have a quote that I always live by,” Garvin Jr. said, “‘to whom much is given, much is required.’ And with that, I want people to know that we all have something to do in this lifetime. I just hope that as The Humbled Initiative grows and people support us, that people know that we support them and support each other through these times and these days. As we grow together as a community.”

Tickets for the game and gala can be purchased on Eventbrite.