Magic Give Thanks with Thanksgiving Efforts
By Dan Dugger
With Thanksgiving Day on the immediate horizon, the Orlando Magic is preparing to commence the holiday season with a spirit of community service in the Parramore community.
The Magic’s commitment to the city’s West-side community is both heartfelt and static. For the 16th consecutive year, the organization is teaming with the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida to serve a Thanksgiving Day breakfast, sponsored by Orlando Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy.
The non-profit organization located in the Parramore neighborhood daily serves an estimated 650 people and on Thanksgiving morning that number will escalate to more than 900.
“The Coalition breakfast is one of the events that draws the most employee volunteers because they can bring their families along,” said Robyn Guokas, community relations coordinator for the Magic, who added that the volunteer opportunity has become a tradition for many of the participating Magic families. “What is most important, however, is that all of the men, women and children who live at the Coalition love the breakfast.”
Community Ambassadors Nick Anderson and Bo Outlaw will be on hand, as will members of the JetBlue Crew. Following the 8 a.m. breakfast, the Magic will host a carnival, featuring face painting and a balloon artist for the Coalition’s families and children from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
The Magic’s partnership with the Coalition is just one event in a series of Parramore-based community initiatives the organization will be involved with throughout the holiday season and the year.
Prior to the Coalition breakfast, the Magic’s Rashard Lewis participated in a “Feed the Children” event at Parramore’s J.R. Smith Center on Nov. 19. Thanks to the generosity of Lewis, 400 children received vouchers that were distributed through local non-profit organizations that enabled them to receive non-perishable foods and toiletries for the holiday season.
With Thanksgiving Day on the immediate horizon, the Orlando Magic is preparing to commence the holiday season with a spirit of community service in the Parramore community.
The Magic’s commitment to the city’s West-side community is both heartfelt and static. For the 16th consecutive year, the organization is teaming with the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida to serve a Thanksgiving Day breakfast, sponsored by Orlando Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy.
The non-profit organization located in the Parramore neighborhood daily serves an estimated 650 people and on Thanksgiving morning that number will escalate to more than 900.
“The Coalition breakfast is one of the events that draws the most employee volunteers because they can bring their families along,” said Robyn Guokas, community relations coordinator for the Magic, who added that the volunteer opportunity has become a tradition for many of the participating Magic families. “What is most important, however, is that all of the men, women and children who live at the Coalition love the breakfast.”
Community Ambassadors Nick Anderson and Bo Outlaw will be on hand, as will members of the JetBlue Crew. Following the 8 a.m. breakfast, the Magic will host a carnival, featuring face painting and a balloon artist for the Coalition’s families and children from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
The Magic’s partnership with the Coalition is just one event in a series of Parramore-based community initiatives the organization will be involved with throughout the holiday season and the year.
Prior to the Coalition breakfast, the Magic’s Rashard Lewis participated in a “Feed the Children” event at Parramore’s J.R. Smith Center on Nov. 19. Thanks to the generosity of Lewis, 400 children received vouchers that were distributed through local non-profit organizations that enabled them to receive non-perishable foods and toiletries for the holiday season.
