Sandhills Community College is enlisting the help of the original high-flyer to help promote the Flyers and honor the school’s student-athletes.

David Thompson, the man known as “Skywalker” for his great leaping ability will be the guest speaker at SCC’s RISE (Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence ) dinner and silent auction at 6 p.m. on Nov. 17 in Peterson Dining Commons in the Dempsey Student Center.

In addition to the auction and the featured speaker Thompson, the event will also honor select student-athletes who have excelled in competition and/or in the classroom, as well as recognizing donors to the SCC athletics programs.

“There are a lot of reasons for this event, but one of the small ones is to let people know we have an athletic program and expose people to Sandhills Community College and the great things we do here both academically and in athletics,” said Aaron Denton, the school’s athletics director.

He said having Thompson as the keynote speaker is a perfect fit for the event.

“It was very important for us to get someone who is a larger than life sports figure, but also somebody who stands for the same values that the college and its athletic programs stand for. And we feel David Thompson is that person.”

Tickets for the event are $25 and are available through Monday, Nov. 14. After Monday, contact Denton by email at dentona@sandhills.edu or by phone at (910) 246-4121.

Miranda Love will receive the Louis Meyer Brown Sr. Athletic Excellence Award and Kathleen Wood will be honored for being the first SCC student-athlete to earn an NJCAA National Academic Award.

Both Wood and Love, a North Moore High School graduate, were members of the Flyer volleyball team.

Some of the auction items available include a 2011 Masters flag signed by Luke Donald after he won the event’s par-3 tournament, lots of golf-related items, a beach house for a week and facial treatments.

“We are going to have plenty of sports-related items,” Denton said of the auction items. “But we tried to make sure that it’s not just sports stuff, that no matter what you like there will be something there for you.”

Thompson, a Shelby native, led the N.C. State Wolfpack men’s basketball team to the 1974 national championship.

He was one of the most outstanding college basketball players of all time. At North Carolina State, he was a three-time first-team All-American, a three-time All-ACC selection and a two-time AP National Player of the Year.

In 1975, Thompson earned the Naismith, Rupp, AP, Eastman Kodak and The Sporting News player of the year honors.

He had a distinguished pro career, playing with the Denver Nuggets (1975-82), and Seattle Supersonics (1982-84).

Thompson, who overcame a drug and alcohol problem after his playing days, is now a motivational speaker.

The purpose of the auction is to raise funds to support athletics programs. The school is a member of the National Association of Junior Colleges. The Flyers compete in men’s basketball, women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s golf.

The athletic program receives no state funding and must raise $30,000 annually to reach its budget.