Players, coaches and corporate partners help at-risk youth in Central Florida

June 19, 2008

Orlando, Fla. – Orlando Magic players, coaches and corporate partners have teamed up to purchase and donate scholarships to 135 Central Florida at-risk youth and non-profit organizations, allowing them to participate in the Orlando Magic youth basketball camps that were held during winter and spring breaks and are being held throughout the summer in Central Florida. Orlando Magic players and coaches accounted for 80 of the donated scholarships, while the basketball camps department gave away 20 free spots to underprivileged youth in Parramore and corporate partners rounded out the donations with 35 scholarships to various youth programs.

As part of the 80 donated by the players and coaches, Orlando Magic guard Keyon Dooling has donated five scholarships to his overnight camp that is being held June 29-July 3 at Warner Southern College in Lake Wales, Fla. Partial proceeds from this one-time camp will benefit Dooling’s non-profit D.O.M.E.S. (Dooling Outreach Multicultural Education Strategies), which is an organization dedicated to empowering and equipping people to improve themselves and their communities in spite of challenges, adversities and setbacks. Basketball Assist, the National Basketball Academy’s non-profit organization, will match this donation dollar for dollar in Dooling’s name.

Orlando Magic corporate partners have found a variety of ways to get involved this year as well. JMC Communities has donated 10 scholarships for the third consecutive year to the Tampa area camps that were distributed to the St. Petersburg Jr. Magic program. Pollo Tropical also contributed 15 scholarships based on drawings held at their local stores, while Flintstones Vitamins distributed another 10 to random Magic Kids Club members.

The Orlando Magic youth basketball camps activities range from drills, skill enhancement, fundamental reinforcement, individual/team competitions and live games, and all summer camp participants will receive daily giveaways, a certificate of completion and one free ticket to a regular season home game during the 2008-09 season. Orlando Magic youth basketball camps kicked off June 7 at the RDV Sportsplex and will continue throughout the summer at various sites in and around Central Florida. For more information on the Orlando Magic youth camps, log onto orlandomagic.com or call the camp hotline at 407-916-2681.