-- Fans may vote for Dalembert and Garcia by visiting All Stars Helping Kids website through December 31 --
SACRAMENTO, CA, October 11, 2010 -- Kings players Samuel Dalembert and Francisco Garcia are among 36 outstanding nominees from throughout professional sports for the 2011 Jefferson Awards for Public Service.
The Jefferson Awards for Public Service are based upon one simple principle: One person can make a difference. Since 1973, these awards have recognized individuals with a remarkable commitment to service in their communities. Partnering with All Stars Helping Kids, the Jefferson Awards seek to recognize professional athletes with two awards this year, “Outstanding Athlete in Service” and “Outstanding Athlete as a Newcomer in Service.”
Founded in 1989 by NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, All Stars Helping Kids is a 501(c)(3) organization which has distributed more than $20 million to high-performing non-profits since its founding. All Stars Helping Kids is enlisted by athletes, corporations and individuals to assist with their philanthropic efforts and identify worthy charities to support.
Fans are encouraged to vote for Dalembert and Garcia by clicking here.
Voting is open through December 31. Finalists will be announced in January and Jefferson Award winners will be chosen from that pool.
Dalembert, a native of Haiti, has been a leader in international public service among professional athletes. Following the aftermath of Hurricane Jeanne and the Haiti earthquake in January, Dalembert has worked tirelessly to provide aid to his homeland and has donated more than $125,000 to Haitian relief efforts.
“There are countless ways for me to give back in life, especially with the blessing of basketball, and I intend to do that in any way that I can,” he said.
Garcia, a native of the Dominican Republic, has made a positive impact in Sacramento and beyond. This season, Garcia purchased 25 lower level season tickets, equating to 1,100 total tickets for local groups from the Latino community as part of his “Kings for the Community” group “La Casa de Garcia.” Following the Haiti earthquake, Garcia led a charge by Kings players to assist the recovery efforts by donating money on behalf of everyone in attendance at the Kings-Spurs game in February, resulting in a nearly-$40,000 donation to the American Red Cross.
“My NBA career has provided me with many blessings,” said Garcia. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to be able to give back to those in need throughout my career and beyond.”
For more information about Dalembert and Garcia’s goodwill, click here.
About Maloof Sports and Entertainment:
Maloof Sports & Entertainment includes the Sacramento Kings and ARCO Arena. Owned by the Maloof family with long-term, local partners, the organization is committed to being a contributing member of the Sacramento community. Teaming up with local leaders and non-profit organizations to give back to those in need throughout the region, MS&E has donated millions of dollars to charity in 11 years of Maloof family ownership. For more information about Maloof Sports & Entertainment, please visit kings.com, arcoarena.com or call 916-928-0000.
var idcomments_acct = 'f9403cec86f7d3a343e2c64c81558a8d';
var idcomments_post_id;
var idcomments_post_url;