NORWICH – Four hundred teams are expected for this year’s Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, which brings thousands of players and spectators to Chenango County each summer. Between lodging, meals and other expenditures, those visitors will provide a much-needed boost to the local economy while they are in town. And none of it would be possible without the help of countless volunteers.

“It’s all the volunteers that really make this go,” said Julie Wallen from the Norwich YMCA. “Without all of them, there is no way this event could even take place.”

Between assembling the baskets on Thursday, setting up the courts and manning registration on Friday and all the Gus Busters, score keepers, security, water runners and trash removers needed over the weekend, it takes nearly 250 volunteers to make the event go off without a hitch, according to Wallen.

There is no financial remuneration for volunteers, of course, but they do get Macker “goodies.” Every volunteer gets a T-shirt, she said, and GusBusters and score keepers get hats as well. Those who volunteer for the entire weekend also get “premium” merchandise, which varies from year to year. In the past, that’s included items like sweatshirts and jackets.