By KERRY GRIPPEN

For The Daily News

NIAGARA, Wis. — Al Sonnenberg and the Niagara Sunday Youth Basketball program celebrated its quarter-century anniversary this season.

It was Al Sonnenberg who started the program in January of 1994 and it has grown as the years have passed.

This year more than 130 boys and girls have been spending Sunday afternoons at the Niagara gymnasium. Participants come from not only Niagara but also from Aurora, Florence, Goodman, Pembine, Iron Mountain and Kingsford.

The participants learn basketball fundamentals and play a lot of basketball while having a lot of fun.

Another bonus is that the program is free with no cost to parents or participants.

While Al Sonnenberg has been the face of the program, John Stockel has helped out since the first season. Other major helpers over the year have included Tom Parent, Ed Sauld, Paul Millan, Heidi Phillips and T.J. McCarthy.

The program’s 25th year drew to a close on Sunday.