On Sunday, February 24th, Real Life Church held a rally to support the Annual Santa Clarita/Tri-Valley Special Olympics Hoops Of Hope Shoot-A-Thon.  The event was held as part of WIRED, a 6-8th grade youth group at Real Life Church.  Hoops Of Hope was started by Austin Gutwein at the age of 9 years.  Austin is now in college but still heavily involved with his program.  Funds raised by Hoops Of Hope provide education, water, food, and medical support to impoverished areas in Africa.  The actual Shoot-A-Thon will take place March 30th at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex.  Special Olympians will be actively participating.  The funds raised in 2013 will go to help build a health clinic in Zambia and to provide backpacks for needy kids in the United States.