Frequently Asked Questions

Gowdy Basketball Club is a 501(c)3 non-profit basketball club and foundation for sports established to insure all youth can play at an accelerated level regardless of social or economic challenges.  Our EIN is: 93-3737537.

We do not ask a fee.  Each family in our club pays what they feel they can - no questions asked.  All families help find donors and participate in fundraisers.  Our fundraisers involve our players to help teach work ethic.

We don't just focus on basketball, but the entire child.  Besides doing fundraisers we work with our players on their academics using the Milwaukee Bucks Math Hoops program, a Reading Reward Program, sponsored by The Book Store on College Ave in Appleton, and tutoring for those who need it.  In addition, we have committed to: #1 Salvation Army Bell Ringing in December to get the kids out into the community to teach giving back.  #2 We are participating in the Fox Wolf Watershed River Clean up oo Saturday May 4 to teach becoming environmentally conscious citizens.  #3 - August we are teaching the children about global needs by helping with  the Appleton Sunshine Uganda Carnival where all proceeds will go to a shelter in Uganda for displaced and orphaned children.  We also have a holiday party and meet at parks in good weather.  We play basketball, we learn, we have new experiences, we make new friends and we have fun!

Marquis Gowdy, Founder & President has been a volunteer coach in the Appleton Area for almost a decade.  Marquis played basketball in both high school & college and continues to play basketball on an adult league.  Marquis’ son Kaden plays for Kishwaukee College in IL as a freshman.  Marquis’ daughter, Jazelle, plays basketball on the Girl’s Varsity Team at Appleton West as a senior this year.  Jazelle has already received multiple college application requests.  Marquis is passionate about using basketball to open doors of opportunity for the youth in our program.  Marquis's day job is in Home Health Care.  He gave up being a Personal Basketball Trainer and the lucrative money the personal training brought in, so that he had the time to start this organization with Cameo Vogel.

Cameo Vogel, Co-Founder & Secretary is a home health care worker who loves her patients.  Her love & compassion for others shows in her nurturing way with the kids in our program.  Cameo was the lead on the club’s fall Leaf Raking Fundraiser so our players could earn some of their own money for basketball, while teaching a work ethic to the players as well.  The Leaf Raking Fundraiser brought in $375 to the organization, taught the players to work together and created bonds between the players.  Cameo was also the lead on our Salvation Army Bell Ringing in December.  Cameo has previously done volunteer work with Fox Valley Humane Association, Salvation Army and Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance to name a few.

Vicki Vogel, Treasurer is a Pres George H.W. Bush, POINTS OF LIGHT recipient July 2021 and a Community Foundation of the Fox Valley Region Health Care Award recipient April 2021 for her work with area hospitals during the pandemic with mask testing and design for efficacy.  Vicki has been involved in community nonprofits sine the early 1980s.  She has previously served on multiple other board of directors in the Appleton area as both an officer and in fundraising capacities.