Players, coaches, front office staff spread holiday cheer
Portland, OR — As the temperature drops and the holidays approach, the Portland Trail Blazers will spend December working to “Make it Better” for families throughout the Portland area.
Players, coaches, personnel and front office staff are volunteering their time and resources during the “Season of Giving” at several community outreach events, including classroom adoptions, hospital visits, camps and several other holiday-themed events.
A schedule of events follows. More detailed information on many of the events below will be sent on event-specific advisories as the dates approach.
SEASON OF GIVING CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Friday, December 12
KGW/LES SCHWAB TOY DRIVE
In support of the annual KGW/Les Schwab Toy Drive, Trail Blazers Alumni will once again collect toy donations and greet fans as they arrive at the Rose Garden arena for Portland’s home game vs. the Los Angeles Clippers.
Saturday, December 13
TRAIL BLAZERS SHOOTING CAMP
From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Trail Blazers rookie Nicolas Batum, assistant coach Kaleb Canales and Director of NBA Scouting Michael Born will teach kids ages 8-13 the fundamentals of shooting hoops at the first-ever Trail Blazers Shooting Camp at Portland Community College- Cascade Campus.
Saturday, December 13
TEAM ODEN HOLIDAY PARTY AT THE BAGDAD THEATER
From 12:30 – 3:30 p.m., Trail Blazers rookie Greg Oden, broadcaster Antonio Harvey and Oregon Mentors will host a holiday party and movie screening of Home Alone 2 for youth and their mentors at the Bagdad Theater in Southeast Portland. **Media availability at approximately 2:30 p.m.**
Saturday, December 13
HOSPITAL VISIT TO Portland Veteran’s Medical Center
From 2:30 – 4:30 p.m., Joel Przybilla, Ike Diogu, Jerryd Bayless, BlazerDancers and Trail Blazer alumni Dale Schlueter will spread some holiday cheer when they drop in for a visit with service men and women hospitalized at the VA hospital.
Sunday, December 14
OREGON FOOD BANK
At 2:30 p.m., Senator Ron Wyden and Coach McMillan will tour the Food Bank, pack food boxes and talk to the media about the effect current unemployment statistics are having on Oregon families and children.
Monday, December 15
BRANDON ROY/TOYOTA/MAKE-A-WISH
Brandon Roy will surprise a 17-year-old Make-A-Wish kid, Cameron, with a wish granting party at the Rose Garden. Brandon will be a surprise guest at Cameron’s send-off party to Walt Disney World hosted at the arena’s Party Suite.
***Shh! Surprise!***
Monday, December 15
HISPANIC CHAMBER RECEPTION
At 5:30 p.m., in the Rose Garden’s Courtside Lounge, the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber will assemble business leaders representing Portland’s Latino community to host a holiday reception to welcome Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Rodriguez and their families to Portland. The youth will be guests of the Chamber’s partners to include Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest.
Tuesday, December 16
MAKE IT BETTER FUND AUCTION
TERRY PORTER JERSEY RETIREMENT NIGHT
The Trail Blazers will hold an auction in the South Atrium of the Rose Garden, with proceeds benefiting the Trail Blazers Make it Better Fund. Terry Porter’s #30 will be retired at the game vs. Sacramento Kings.
Wednesday, December 17
STEVE AND KRISTIN BLAKE ADOPT A CLASS
At 2 p.m., Steve Blake and his wife, Kristin, will hand-deliver gifts they purchased for the children of Albina Head Start’s Garlington Center.
Wednesday, December 17
#30 JERSEY RETIREMENT CELEBRATION
At 6:00 p.m., the Trail Blazers will host a VIP reception to honor both Terry Porter and Bob Gross, whose #30 jerseys are being retired in the rafters of the Rose Garden Arena.
Thursday, December 18
MAKE IT BETTER FUND AUCTION
BOB GROSS JERSEY RETIREMENT NIGHT
The Trail Blazers will hold an auction in the South Atrium of the Rose Garden, with proceeds benefiting the Trail Blazers Make it Better Fund. Bob Gross’ #30 will be retired at the game vs. Phoenix Suns.
Friday, December 19
CHILDREN’S CANCER ASSOCIATION HOLIDAY PARTY AT DOERNBECHER
Holiday Tour at Shriners Hospital for Children
From 2:30-4:30 p.m., Martell Webster and Shavlik Randolph will host a holiday party for children hospitalized during the holidays at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
From 2:30-4:30 p.m., LaMarcus Aldridge, Travis Outlaw, and Trail Blazers ambassador Dale Schlueter make the season a little brighter for children being treated at Shriners Hospital for Children.
Saturday, December 20
MAKE IT BETTER WINTER CARNIVAL AT MEMORIAL COLISEUM
At 3:00 p.m., Trail Blazers Players, coaches, alumni and staff will host a winter carnival for military families. Guests will have a rare opportunity to interact with the players at a carnival-style celebration in the Memorial Coliseum featuring ice skating, games, food and more.
December 20 & 26
TRAIL BLAZERS HOLIDAY HOOPS CAMP
Joel Przybilla and Sergio Rodriguez will team up with assistant coaches Dean Demopoulos and Joe Prunty during the second annual two-day hoops camp for kids ages 8-13.
December 25
ST. MARY’S HOME FOR BOYS AT CHRISTMAS DAY GAME
The Trail Blazers will brighten the holidays for young men served by St. Mary’s Home for Boys, hosting them to a suite for the Christmas Day game against Dallas, providing them with gifts and an opportunity to interact with the team before the game.
December 31
OLCC/OREGON BOTTLE BILL
Channing Frye will help promote the January ‘09 implementation of the new Oregon Bottle Bill allowance for plastic bottles.
- trailblazers.com/makeitbetter -
