Pitt-Johnstown fraternity Sigma Tau Gamma members have made it possible for a team of Conemaugh Township kids to play basketball this season.

A maintenance worker, whose son plays on the team, propositioned fraternity member Christian Woo to sponsor the YMCA youth basketball team.

Woo said he presented the idea to the chapter, and that the fraternity members and alumni members were supportive.

“We raised the money shortly after, sent it to him and that was pretty much it.”

According to Woo, the money came from fraternity member donations and from last year’s leftover fundraiser money. The fraternity donated $250 to the team.

Woo said he hopes to plan a time when fraternity members all can go to a game to support The Knights, a team name based on the fraternity’s crest.

Fraternity member Matt Ziance said he would like the fraternity to attend a game, and then also buy pizza for fraternity members, players and the players’ parents to show their gratitude for allowing Sigma Tau Gamma to sponsor them.

“We are a fraternity, and get a bad (reputation) for some reason,” Ziance said, “All of the things we do for the community and philanthropies really get overlooked.”

Ziance said the reason they agreed to the sponsorship was not to further their image, but that it was something generally nice that they usually do.

Ziance said the decision to sponsor the young athletes came from the childhood memories of fraternity members, who were also young athletes at one time.

“We were all talking and talked about how cool it was when we got a sponsored for our youth basketball and baseball teams, and we wanted to share that experience with this new generation.”