Knicks Bowl 3 Raises $335,000 For After School Programs

NEW YORK, February 20, 2002 – The New York Knickerbockers today announced that Monday night's Knicks Bowl 3 presented by Met Life raised more than $335,000 for the Red Holzman Knicks Cheering for Children Foundation - the team's charitable arm.

Clarence Weatherspoon rolls for charity. MSG Photos

The entire Knicks team (with the exception of injured Marcus Camby) and alumni including Hall-of-Famer Earl Monroe joined a star-studded list of celebrities that included actors and TV personalities Richard Lewis, Matthew Modine, Star Jones, Ananda Lewis, Eddie Cibrian and Michael Beach, models Bridget Hall and Marisa Miller, and Olympic snowboarding gold medallist Ross Powers to support the Foundation and after school programs throughout the five boroughs. The luminaries were joined by over 400 fans for the sold-out event.

Knicks Bowl 3 was a fundraiser benefiting the Red Holzman Knicks Cheering for Children Foundation – which is a part of Madison Square Garden’s Cheering for Children Foundation. The funds raised will aid after-school programs in New York City schools. Madison Square Garden and the New York Knicks began an unprecedented campaign to make a difference in the lives of New York City children three years ago - adopting middle schools in all five boroughs.

Through the Knicks Red Holzman Cheering for Children Foundation, the team has been making appearances on a weekly basis to after-school programs in the Bronx. All 5,000

Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Bridget Hall, Olympic snowboarding gold medallist Ross Powers and supermodel Marisa Miller. MSG Photos

students involved in the program have been given Knicks educational materials – books, pens, notepads, folders etc. Thousands of students have been invited to Knicks games and other events at Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall, and many have had the opportunity to meet players, coaches the team's front office staff, and other performers at both venues. The Garden's Cheering for Children Foundation aids more than 20,000 children in after school programs throughout the five boroughs.

Madison Square Garden has chosen to help with the cities after school programs because of recent research stating that children who are engaged in organized after-school activity are more likely to avoid dangerous behavior and educational delinquency. Yet, after-school programs throughout New York’s five boroughs continue to suffer from a lack of funding and resources.