Several churches in west Georgia will gather in Carroll County to compete for bragging rights and the Hallelujah Cup during an interfaith basketball tournament on Saturday, April 28.

The Ronnie R. Young Memorial Hoops for Health Basketball Challenge will begin at 9 a.m. in the Tabernacle Life Center Gym at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 150 Tabernacle Drive in Carrollton.

The challenge is being hosted by Tabernacle Baptist Church in partnership with Tanner Health System’s Faith in Health committee. The committee is part of the Get Healthy, Live Well Coalition, a multisector community coalition working to increase access to healthy food, increase physical activity, reduce chronic disease risks and eliminate tobacco use in Carroll, Haralson and Heard counties. The coalition consists of businesses, educational institutions, community groups and faith-based organizations.

“When it comes to making the biggest impact on improving the community’s health, faith-based organizations are one of our most valuable resources,” said Phyllis Head, community outreach coordinator at Get Healthy, Live Well. “Our partnership with local churches has helped us provide people with the tools they need to combat and prevent chronic diseases.”

The Hoops for Health Basketball Challenge is named after longtime Carrollton recreation director Ronnie Young, who died in June 2017. Young served 35 years as director for the city of Carrollton’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department before becoming Tabernacle’s sports and recreation coordinator.

“Ronnie left an indelible mark on everything he touched,” said Tabernacle Baptist Church Pastor Stephen Allen. “He was a visionary who used sports and recreation as a vehicle for transformation in the lives of individuals and our community as a whole. He embodied much of what our coalition is all about as we pursue opportunities to promote spiritual, physical, mental and emotional health. His faith in Christ was foundational to his passion for seeing people transformed.”

The challenge, which is open to the public, will include free food and drinks, activities for children of all ages and an exhibition game featuring local pastors.

“One of the things I love about being here is just the collegiality among the ministers, among the churches,” Allen said. “No one’s trying to ‘steal sheep’ so to speak. We’re all in this together for the betterment of the community.”

For more information, call Get Healthy, Live Well at 770.812.9617 or email gethealthy@tanner.org.