SAN ANTONIO (October 10, 2012) – Silver & Black Give Back is celebrating 25 years of giving back to the community. The silver anniversary for the public charity of Spurs Sports & Entertainment’s family of teams will be commemorated throughout the upcoming Spurs, Silver Stars, Rampage and Toros seasons and will reach a crescendo at the annual Tux N’ Tennies gala, presented by H-E-B and SWBC, on Saturday, March 9. Held at the AT&T Center for the first time, Silver & Black Give Back’s fundraising event will feature franchise players, coaches and executives in tuxedoes, gowns and tennis shoes.
“You can’t always control winning on the court or the ice, but it has been our organization’s focus to always try and have a positive impact in the community,” said Peter Holt, Spurs Sports & Entertainment Chairman and CEO. “We are proud to celebrate our past efforts and are also looking forward to what can be accomplished in the future through Silver & Black Give Back’s dedicated programs that inspire and empower our community's young people.”
Silver & Black Give Back has been focused on supporting youth sports and youth-led service programs throughout San Antonio and South Texas and its two premier initiatives are the Team Up Challenge and the Spurs Youth Basketball League. Since its inception, more than 250,000 kids have been involved in the Spurs Youth Basketball League and the program has also provided basketball and character development training to more than 2,000 participating coaches.
Founded in 2010, the Team Up Challenge is a youth-led service initiative that empowers students to apply what they are learning in the classroom to the real world, bringing education alive in powerful ways. More than 15,000 students have participated in Team Up Challenge service projects that have benefitted the food bank, respite care, fallen soldiers, home-bound seniors, first-generation college students and many more.
Tux N’ Tennies will feature both a silent and live auction, as well as entertainment by a special guest performer. The dinner and auction is Silver & Black Give Back’s premier fundraiser to support its charitable programs. For more information on Tux N’ Tennies, visit SilverAndBlackGiveBack.com.
To tip-off the 25th anniversary, Silver & Black Give Back is hosting the Silver & Black Shootout located in section 105 of the plaza level concourse at the AT&T Center. For a $5 donation, fans can test their sharp-shooting skills at the shootout basket starting today and throughout Spurs and Rampage games this season. Participants have 24 seconds to make as many shots as possible from the “Charity Stripe” and eight baskets made qualifies them to compete in the finals on April 3, when the Spurs host the Orlando Magic. The winner of the Silver & Black Shootout finals will win a trip to Orlando, FL provided by Silver Leaf Resorts.
Silver & Black Give Back is a 501(c)(3) public charity that invests in the community in partnership with the entire Spurs Sports & Entertainment family of teams. Entering its 25th year, the charity was originally created in 1988, when there was only one team in the SS&E family and was historically known as the Spurs Foundation.