"It all started when...

... one day in 2012, we woke to terrible news. We learned that Alex Betzhold, a local 7th grader and friend of my son, died unexpectedly from sudden cardiac arrest. Alex simply went to bed one day, and didn't wake up the next. It's hard to describe how profound the impact of Alex's loss was, and still is, to our little town. It was just devastating.

Shortly after he died, our community gathered to honor Alex at a candlelight vigil. That evening, at the precise moment Alex's  father took the microphone, a shooting star darted across the sky, bright and brilliant. The entire crowd gasped. We all saw it. And we all knew why that star had appeared. Alex's light was still shining.

It was a life-changing moment for me, for us all. Alex loved basketball and The Bird Dogs have been an active part of the annual Shoot 4 The Stars event that honors his life. With the help of other bands, The Bird Dogs produce a concert which helps raise funds for the foundation. The foundation awards college scholarships to high school students and recently completed the construction of the Alex Betzhold Outdoor Memorial Basketball Court. This  will be a place for kids to gather and play in our community for years to come. I'm proud to be a part of it and we hope to build more like it in the future. Basketball was Alex's favorite sport and after his death, his high school retired his jersey number, #35." -- George Dunham