Yes, it's another Friday in July. The sun is kickin' it in the sky, the sounds of flip-flops fill the city streets, and gravity pulls dribbles of chocolate ice-cream down the chins of the little ones, staining both shirts and shorts. There's no excuse to be bored on a day like today, especially when you've got programs like B-Ball on the Block bringing basketball and soccer to your doorstep.

Every Friday from 4 - 8pm in the summer, Chicago nonprofit Beyond the Ball closes a street to traffic and sets up some hoops. They construct a makeshift street soccer area and bring in coaches, volunteers, sports equipment, and—most importantly—the local community. This traveling basketball and soccer league mainly serves the Little Village and North Lawndale neighborhoods, but the teams also travel all over the city for the Finals tournaments at the end of the summer.

In addition to being a whole lot of fun, B-Ball on the Block also helps to break down barriers in the community. The locations cross rival gang territories and bring together participants of varying ages, races and ethnicities. Through community sports, B-Ball on the Block encourages Chicagoans to "come out and see how much they actually have in common."

[Below: Video from last Friday's event. Yeah, these guys know how to play.]

If you're in Chicago, you should check out the calendar and think about becoming a volunteer for Beyond the Ball. It's a good excuse to get outside and enjoy the summer while helping to build your community.

Also, if you have two seconds right now (and I know you do), click here to help Beyond the Ball raise $500 for programs like B-Ball on the Block. The Just 1 Click campaign won't cost you a cent, but it will help Chicago youth to keep playing in the summertime. That's right - click it.