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WALLY HALL: P.A.R.K. graduation is a positive first step

In this great state there are a large number of difference makers.

People who share time or money to make Arkansas a better place to live.

Some of those people enjoyed playing sports, are still fans of the games, but the guy who jumps off the page who had a great college and professional career and has spent the majority of his time since he hung up his cleats helping people is Keith Jackson.

Jackson founded Positive Atmosphere Reaches Kids more than 20 years ago and tonight, at P.A.R.K., he and his wife Melanie, who has been his partner in every step of this life changing adventure, will most likely shed a tear for the 16th consecutive time as they watch 35 new graduates of P.A.R.K.

There will be proud parents, siblings, grandparents and extended family, but no one will be more proud than the Jacksons, who know the young people came into the program academically challenged and are moving on to college or trades or even the military, where they will become good citizens.

Keith Jackson was an All-American at Oklahoma, a six-time Pro Bowler in the NFL while playing with the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers, where he was part of a Super Bowl championship.

Yet, when his playing days were over, he came home to Little Rock and, with the help of a few, saw his vision of a facility that emphasizes education become a reality.

Dozens of young lives have been changed because of P.A.R.K., and tonight 35 more move on with a positive attitude.

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In 2014, The Basketball Tournament was created, and this summer a team of former Arkansas Razorbacks are hoping to participate in the 5-on-5, winner-take-all tournament that has a grand prize of $2 million.

Ky Madden, Alandise Harris, Stef Welsh and others are hoping to receive enough votes at the website thetournament.com to challenge former players who are representing Kentucky, Villanova, Syracuse, Gonzaga, Kansas State and Memphis to name just a few.

The team name, 40 Minutes of Hell, must be in the top 11 in voting to make the field of 64.

Rickey Scott, Mardracus Wade, Courtney Fortson, BJ Young, Jemal Farmer, Marshawn Powell, Delvon Johnson and Charles Thomas are also on the team founded by Nick Wilson, player and general manager.

It only takes a couple of minutes to vote.

The tournament's first winner got $500,000 and the second winner collected $1 million. Now that prize has doubled, and some former Razorbacks have their eye on the prize.

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In 1958, he coached his first youth league baseball team and in the years after, you either played for Charles Ripley or you hated him.

His teams seemed to always win.

No matter what age group, his baseball teams were the ones with the target on their backs. After college, he became a football and basketball coach, and most people are very aware that he went on to lead Little Rock Parkview High School to several state and overall championships.

He was so successful that the Parkview gymnasium was renamed Rip Arena.

Now every person who ever played for him in any sport or at any venue is invited to his 70th birthday bash at the Metroplex on Colonel Glenn Road on June 9.

Festivities start with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. and at 6:15 there will be an open microphone for sharing stories about Rip. Attire is casual, and there will be cake and ice cream.

Rip hasn't slowed down and is now the men's basketball coach at Arkansas Baptist College.

He does ask that if you want to be part of the party to RSVP at cripley@positivekids.org.

Sports on 05/19/2016

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