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By SCOTT FERTAL; Times Leader Sports Writer
Monday, April 15, 1996     Page: 1B

WILKES-BARRE — For the second consecutive year, the New York Giants put
smiles on the faces of several very special children.
   
Six members of the Giants were in town Sunday to participate in a charity
basketball tournament sponsored by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northeastern
Pennsylvania.
    All proceeds from Sunday’s tournament, autograph session and sports
memorabilia show at the Marts Center on the campus of Wilkes University
benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of NEPA, which grants wishes to terminally
ill or disabled children.
   
The Giants competing were safety Tito Wooten, cornerback Willie Beamon,
defensive end Chad Bratzke, linebacker Marcus Buckley, running back Kerry
Goode and safety Jason Seehorn.
   
The Giants took on three corporate teams and a local media team in 10
minute quarters.
   
“We made money today,” said Make-A-Wish president Jim Harowicz. “The Giants
were once again fantastic.”
   
“They (the Giants) were good and very cooperative,” said tournament
chairman Dr. Malcolm Conway. “They do a very good job with the kids.”
   
Sunday’s event raised between $10,000 and $15,000 for Make-A-Wish of NEPA,
which will allow the foundation to grant three wishes.
   
So far this year, 45 wishes have been granted, but 30 wishes still remain
in waiting.
   
But the Giants did their best to lend a hand.
   
“I’ll do anything for kids,” said Wooten. “I don’t care what I’m doing, as
long as it’s for kids.”
   
The Giants wooed the crowd with several dunks and clowned around with the
children, often acting like children themselves.
   
“We have a lot fun,” Wooten said. “It’s worth it to see the kids smiling.
If they’re not smiling, they’re not happy and I’m not happy.”
   
Professional athletes of this magnitude don’t often have a chance to
interact with people in such a capacity as Sunday, so Wooten and his teammates
knew they had to make the most of it.
   
“I’m one who likes to disprove all the stereotypes of professional
athletes,” Wooten said. “We’re still getting stereotyped because of some
things guys did before we got here and that’s not right. I do whatever I can
to make people know that we are good people.”
   
Sunday’s game is just one of three of Make-A-Wish’s big fund-raisers, the
others coming later this year are a telethon and sports auction and a
testimonial dinner.
   
The telethon and auction is the biggest event, in which Harowicz is hoping
to raise at least $100,000. Last year, $83,000 was raised from the two-day
event.