Butler's girls basketball program is expanding its horizons.

The Golden Tornado will head to Las Vegas and the 32-team Reebok Tournament Dec. 15 through 19 for the program's first-ever appearance in this national event.

The Mars girls basketball team is making its fourth trip to the tournament.

"I've spoken with (Mars coach) Dana Petruska about that tournament, and she spoke highly of the experience," Butler girls basketball coach Dorothea Epps said. "I thought it'd be a nice trip for our girls.

"Dana gave me a contact number out there, I checked with (Butler athletic director) Tim O'Malley to see if it was feasible, the board approved it and we went ahead with it," Epps added.

Butler will be playing four games in three days in Las Vegas, most likely in the upper tier of competition.

"They bracket the teams based on size of school and skill level," Epps said. "I'm assuming we'll be in the upper tier, the top group."

Beverly Achesinski, mother of sophomore center Amy Achesinski, is president of the Butler Girls Basketball Parents Association, which has been coordinating fund-raising activities for the trip.

She said the total cost of sending the varsity, junior varsity and coaching staff to the tournament is about $10,000.

The junior varsity will be playing games at the tournament as well.

"We're idealistic," Achesinski said. "We're hopeful we can raise all of the money.

"This is a nice opportunity for these girls to experience high school basketball in other parts of the country, to play at a different level," she added.

The Butler Basketball Boosters are donating about $1,000 toward the trip.

"We generate our funds through sale of program ads and 50-50 drawings at the home games," said George Frost, president of the Butler Basketball Boosters. "We think this trip is educational and welcome the opportunity to contribute toward it.

"(Former Butler boys coach) Mark Jula took a team out there in the mid-1990s and we helped fund that trip, too," he added.

The girls have used a car wash, a 14-team basketball shootout at the high school and the sale of raffle tickets for a trip to Atlantic City as means to raise money.

"We're considering a couple of other fund-raisers, but we're unsure if we have the time to do them between now and when the team boards the plane," Achesinski said.

Epps coaches an AAU basketball team in the off-season and has taken those teams on trips during the summer.

"This will be a great learning experience, a cultural experience," Epps said. "A lot of these kids will never get another opportunity to get out there.

"We're going to visit Hoover Dam. We've got non-basketball activities planned for the kids," she added.

Frost said some players from Jula's team still talk about their trip 12 or 15 years later.

"We have to be there for our kids," Frost said. "They are our future leaders. I hope the community supports their efforts to raise money."

Those interested in contributing can contact the Butler High School athletic office at 724-214-3232.