Ashley Traylor
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They’ve been friends for about a decade and now their families are banding together to host Hooping for Hope, a family-oriented event to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Murray State alumnus, Jody Albright, his wife Nora and Murray DJ El Jas Aguirre brainstormed and coordinated the community event, which will take place Sunday, May 6 from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Chestnut Park.

For the past four years, the Aguirre and the Albrights have hosted DJ Fest, but this year they wanted to help children in need.

“We came up with the idea for St. Jude, and I was like yeah that’s perfect,” Aguirre said. “Those kids are battling every single day. We can make a difference.”

Hooping for Hope combines Jody and Aguirre’s interests: sports and music. The event will offer a 2-on-2 basketball tournament for a $20 entry fee, 3-point competition at $10 each, free throw and speed dribbling competitions, along with live music by 270 DJs of Murray, Aguirre’s business. There will also be arts and crafts, face painting and a bake sale.

To register to play in the basketball tournament or 3-point competition, contact Nora at 731-707-3587, or register to play the day of the event.

Nora is from California, and Jody said they pass the hospital in Memphis, Tennessee every time they travel to California.

?“Every time I go past St. Jude, I look over there and I see it,” Jody said. “[Aguirre has] kids of course and me and my wife have two kids. Our kids are healthy today, but it takes one second for us to be right where those kids are and those families. It just takes one second. We wanted to do something to help them out the best we can.”

Families at St. Jude never receive a bill for treatment, housing, transportation or food because according to their website, a parent’s only worry should be helping their child live.

“Without people helping and giving donations, they can’t do what they’re doing,” Nora said.

Donations are welcome and all proceeds from the event go to St. Jude. It costs $2.4 million a day to operate the hospital and 75 percent of the costs are covered by public contributions, according to St. Jude’s website.

“We don’t care if you guys can only donate a penny,” Aguirre said. “A penny can make a big difference.”

If Hooping for Hope is successful, Jody, Nora and Aguirre said they want to continue it every year, giving all the money to St. Jude. After the event Sunday, they plan on hand-delivering the money they raised to the hospital.

“We are going to do everything we can to make this a great event,” Aguirre said.

Everyone is invited to attend the event on May 6.