Raffle winners Brendan Banuelos (left) and Michelle Agon (right) receive their prizes from the Laker Girls

The Lakers partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii to further promote literacy and the joy of reading among local youth by conducting a book drive at the Lakers preseason games on October 9 and 11 at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa's Stan Sheriff Center. Over 300 books were donated by Lakers fans in memory of Lakers Hall of Fame Broadcaster Chick Hearn and donated to the Lakers Reading Rooms at the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii’s Spalding Clubhouse and Hale Pono Clubhouse. All fans who donated a new children’s book received an official 2007-08 Lakers pin.

The Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii also conducted a “Chance Drawing” for autographed Lakers memorabilia at both Lakers preseason games to raise funds to maintain the Lakers Reading Rooms and to support the Club’s literacy programs. The Lakers donated two autographed Lakers team basketballs and an authentic Luke Walton jersey for the raffle. Tickets were available for purchase for $5 each or $20 for 5 tickets. Through the generosity of Lakers fans, almost $5,000 was raised by the “Chance Drawing.”

Pebbles Widemann was the winner of the autographed Lakers team basketball on Tuesday, October 9. Brandon Banuelos won the autographed Lakers team basketball and Michelle Agon won the autographed authentic Luke Walton jersey at the second preseason game on Thursday, October 11.

The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii would like to thank the fans for their generous support of the Lakers Read to Achieve program and Hawaii’s youth.

The Laker Girls present Pebbles Widemann with an autographed Lakers team basketball

Volunteers from the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii sold raffle tickets during the games on October 9th and 11th