MY TURN By Scott Harris

Ninth annual Tom Dowd Memorial Basketball Tournament begins this weekend Back in 2001, when it was learned that Monroe resident Tommy Dowd had become a victim of the WTC attack on 9/11, his friends and family pondered how best to remember him. After all, as time goes by, memories tend to fade. At the time of his death, Tommy was 37 years old. He was a husband, son, brother, nephew, cousin, friend and the father of three young children. He worked in the Trade Center for Canter Fitzgerald, commuted everyday to the city and came home every night ... that is until September 11th. That’s when he stopped coming home. Besides his family and friends (and the Yankees), Tom’s passion was basketball. He played it as a youth and played it as an adult. He coached local kids during the week and on weekends. Whether it was CYO basketball, PTA basketball, Smith Clove Park Summer League or AAU basketball, Tommy could always be found on the courts. It was this passion for the game that led to the creation of the Tom Dowd Memorial AAU Basketball Tournament which funds the Tom Dowd Memorial Scholarship. Next week the ninth annual Tom Dowd Memorial Basketball Tournament kicks off. The tournament sponsored by the local Orange County Crusaders AAU Basketball Club and draws more than 150 basketball teams from all over the tri-state region. This event has helped raise almost $100,000, which has been awarded to local high school seniors who participated in their schools basketball program. It also helps us remember and talk about Tommy. There are photos, articles, posters, trophies and T-shirts all memorizing him. His brothers, wife, children, friends and relatives all attend the event, and everyone has a great time. There is even an adult tournament where many of Tom’s “basketball buddies” hit the floor in his honor (and some literally “hit the floor.”). The 2010 Girls event is scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend and the games will be played in our local gyms such as Monroe-Woodbury High School, Middle School and Central Valley Elementary School (May 28-30). The Boy’s event is the following weekend (June 4-6) where games are played in numerous gyms all over Orange County (Monroe, Cornwall, Florida, Greenwood Lake and other schools/CYO’s). All in all, there will be approximately 1,500 kids and coaches who over the course of a week will all honor Tommy Dowd in their own way. We hope that everyone will come watch a few good games, grab something to eat from outstanding concession stands, pick up a T-shirt or two, maybe purchase a raffle ticket and help us raise money for a great purpose. Tommy was a good guy and we miss him. For more information, including actual schedules and gym locations, please visit www.mwhoops.com or e-mail us at orangecountycrusaders@gmail.com. Scott Harris on behalf of the Tom Dowd Memorial AAU Basketball Tournament