When the Massapequa All-Stars were called onto the court, they lined up, in a straight line, and took a bow. But when the Harlem Wizards danced their way onto the court, music blasted and the theatrics began.

The Harlem Wizards are a collection of light-hearted basketball players who, when they perform, joke, dance, and have a good time. The Massapequa All-Stars, are... most simply put... a collection of students, teachers, and community members who joined together to raise money for Massapequa High School's music department. In other words, not really All-Stars but dedicated individuals.

Last Saturday's charity fund raiser between the Harlem Wizards and the Massapequa All-Stars was organized by Massapequa School District's Director of Fine Arts Jan Holdridge and sponsored by the Roslyn Savings Bank of Massapequa. Over 500 tickets were sold, raising close to $1,000 for the purchase of new equipment and instruments.

However, the 7:30 p.m. Wizard v.s. Massapequa game only kicked off the evening's events. Afterwards, students from Berner and Massapequa High staged a music marathon where they played music till the next morning. Each student had a sponsoring pledge to raise money, and each dollar was matched by the Roslyn Foundation in an amount of up to $10,000.

Over 100 students brought their pajamas, sleeping bags, and instruments and played music till the crack of dawn.

Jan Holdridge explained that the school district has actively attempted to raise money to support the district's strong music program. "The department keeps growing and growing," said Holdridge. "It's a problem but it's a good problem."