December 4, 2003

The Blazers Community Builders Holiday Express starts off the season of giving by distributing more than 1,000 donated trees to families in need.

The Trail Blazers volunteer program includes, Trail Blazers players, coaches, staff, Blazers Alumni, BlazerDancers, Trail Blazers broadcasters and Wheel Blazers.

The morning started with players, coaches and staff loading onto a bus and delivering trees to local Head Start schools. The players dropped off trees, sang holiday carols and played with students.

In total, the Trail Blazers served breakfast to 800 preschoolers, families, veterans and seniors, gave away 4,000 tree ornaments and provided 1,000 Christmas trees.

The group then brought one class back on the bus to the Rose Garden where the whole team and organization served breakfast, loaded trees for people and provided ornaments to those in need.

The Trail Blazers also encouragied the public to join in on this festive day by brining canned foods. The first 100 people who came to the Rose Garden with 10 pounds of food for the Salvation Army received a free tree.

Choirs from Portland Public Schools performed throughout the morning and the Salvation Army Band performed in the afternoon and evening.