The Hamilton College men's and women's basketball teams recently donated more than $5,000 to Hoops 4 Hope, a non-profit charity that uses basketball to benefit children in Zimbabwe.

The Continentals raised $5,200 through a free throw shoot-a-thon held in May and organized by men's team captain Peter Kazickas '15. Members of the basketball teams shot 100 free throws after finding sponsors who pledged a dollar for every made free throw. Kazickas has made two trips to Africa with Hoops 4 Hope and was honored at the NCAA Division I Men's Final Four in Texas two months ago for his efforts.

"They were so grateful for the donations from their Hamilton family," said Kazickas. "They were able to make incredible repairs to courts that haven't been worked on in decades -- courts that children in the U.S. probably wouldn't be allowed on because of the risk of injury."

The money Hamilton donated went toward repairing the country's pot hole-ridden courts where volunteers teach. Under the ideal "Providing Hope for the Hopeless", Hoops 4 Hope uses basketball to teach children in South Africa and Zimbabwe about life skills, drug-free lifestyles and HIV/AIDS awareness. The organization's year-round program meets five days a week and has helped more than 10,000 children.

"We are very excited that our basketball student-athletes were able to have a successful free throw fundraiser and generate support for the Hoops 4 Hope program," head men's basketball coach Adam Stockwell said. "Pete Kazickas has been a tremendous advocate for this program and the positive impact it has on the young people of Zimbabwe. This fundraiser makes a tremendous statement about the type of student-athletes at our college as all of Pete's teammates, as well as the women's basketball team, joined together to help make a difference."