DOWAGIAC — Local students and parents will be ducking and weaving for a good cause next month.

The 2018 Dowagiac Celebration Graduation committee will host a dodgeball tournament fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 3p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at Dowagiac Middle School, at 57072 Riverside Drive. Sign-ups are now open for the 32-team event, with registration costing $10 per team member, for a maximum of eight people per team.

Admission to the event for spectators cost $3. There will also be a concession stand running throughout the event, where volunteers will sell refreshments such as pulled pork sandwiches, potato chips, soft drinks, popcorn and candy.

All proceeds from the event will go toward the 2018 Celebration Graduation program, an annual trip to a surprise location for graduating seniors that takes place the evening of commencement. Parents who are organizing the upcoming party are raising money for the program through several fundraisers, including the popular trivia night event, which took place in October, said Jennifer Thies, one of the committee members.

The upcoming dodgeball tournament is based off a similar event that parents with the Cassopolis Celebration Graduation program have organized the past two years, Thies said.

“We are trying to do something different,” Thies said. “We do events like trivia night every year that are aimed toward adults, so we wanted to do something that would raise some money and allow the kids to get involved.”

Helping Thies and others in the planning committee are Union High teachers Mike Williams and Mike Behnke, who will make sure that all the proper rules are followed and that the games are fairly refereed, Thies said. Although they are still determining specific rules for the tournament, right now the organizers plan to have it be a single-elimination event, though they would ideally like all teams to play at least twice during the morning and afternoon.

Organizers are hoping to have a lot of high school students team up with classmates or adults for the tournament. Students who are in ninth grade and up may sign up to participate, Thies said.

“My kids will be signing up and joining teams,” Thies said. “It should be a good time for everyone.”

Students who do not wish to play but still want to help have plenty of opportunities to do so, Thies said. The organizers will be looking for students to help volunteer with registration, helping sell concessions and other responsibilities the day of the tournament.

The 2018 Celebration Graduation committee is hoping to raise $4,000 or more through the tournament. So far, the group is around 1/3 of the way to its $25,000 goal to make the trip happen, Thies said.

The committee also plans to host a Poker Run fundraiser on St. Patrick’s Day, Saturday, March 17, as well as participate in the annual Drive 4 UR School program with C. Wimberley Ford in April. The parents also plan to ask local businesses for contributions to help them reach their goal.

Thies, who has had several of her children patriciate in the graduation trip before, said that donations will be going toward a worthy cause that gives seniors a chance to make some final memories with their classmates in fun, yet safe, setting.

“Even kids who aren’t really social have a great time,” she said. “It’s one last hurrah before they move on to college or get their lives started. It’s a really great time.”

People interested in signing up for the tournament may call Thies at (269) 591-2131. The first 32 teams that submit their payments will be entered into the competition.