Members of the Southern Illinois Basketball Officials Association (a group that has since expanded to provide officials for area high school contests in football, volleyball, baseball, and softball in addition to boys’ and girls’ basketball) made time during the busy holiday season to give back to their local community, as several members of the SIBOA took turns ringing bells for the Salvation Army at the Walmart in Centralia on Saturday, December 19.

Several SIBOA members participated including Gary Albert, Bobby Franklin (pictured), Randy Hart, Travis Holtkamp, Mike Kern, Carl Krieg, Mike Roth, and SIBOA co-founder Robert Smith.

“When we take off those stripes, we are members of the community like anyone else,” said Smith. "The SIBOA is lucky to have so many good people who not only give back to high school athletics, but also find the time to give back to the community as well.”