Young philanthropist to speak at Snoqualmie Church on the Ridge

Published 9:35 am Monday, July 16, 2012

Austin Gutwein, who believes anyone, no matter what their age or skill, can make a difference, will give a special presentation Wednesday, July 18, 6:30 p.m. at Snoqualmie’s Church on the Ridge, 35131 S.E. Douglas Ave.

Gutwein is the founder of Hoops of Hope, an organization dedicated to helping African children affected by AIDS. Each Hoops of Hope fundraiser, including the one held in Snoqualmie last March, is a basketball-shooting event, in which participants, mainly children, obtain sponsorships to raise money for the organization.

The organization formed after Gutwein, in the spring of 2004, saw a video about children who lost their parents to AIDS. He decided to shoot free throws on World AIDS Day, 2,057 of them, to represent the number of African children who would be orphaned that day because of AIDS. Friends and family sponsored him, and he raised almost $3,000 which World Vision used to help eight orphan children.

Women of Vision, a volunteer ministry of World Vision, will host Gutwein’s presentation. Learn more at www.wovwashington.org/eastside, or www.hoopsofhope.org.