On Wednesday, October 26, 100 Warriors and PG&E front office staff joined community members to renovate San Francisco’s Progress Park, one of the only public spaces in the Dogpatch neighborhood. Joining the Local Warriors volunteer group was Warriors forward and 14-year NBA veteran David West, who donned his white #PGELocalWarriors t-shirt to help repair the park’s Dog Run, creating a safer and more enjoyable area for the neighborhood’s human and canine guests.
“I have two dogs at home, so I know how important it is for them to get outside and run around,” said West. “Building a safe, clean area with PG&E for the Local Warriors program will do this community a lot of good.”
One of the Warriors newest team members, West received a raucous welcome from the Warriors and PG&E volunteers before grabbing a shovel to distribute wood mulch around the park grounds. Later, West joined volunteers to install a pedestrian pathway, along with new flowerbeds and landscaping, on a busy intersection on 23rd Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.
“This volunteer group completed in two hours what would have normally taken us two weeks to complete,” said Dogpatch Neighborhood Association member Bruce Huie. “I’m thankful to the Warriors and PG&E for their efforts today to improve our community.”
The group then moved to nearby Irving M. Scott School, which was founded in 1877 and is the oldest surviving public schoolhouse in San Francisco, for a basketball court unveiling. San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee, District Supervisor Malia Cohen, Assemblymember David Chiu and PG&E VP of Public Affairs and Community Relations Travis Kiyota and West took part in a court unveiling ceremony for 50 local students, highlighting the improvements to the neighborhood’s only public basketball court.
“This basketball court will provide a great place for all of you to play, have fun and one day grow up to be one of our Golden State Warriors,” said Mayor Lee to the youth.
After hosting a ceremonial tip-off at center court, West joined the students for a hoops clinic led by Warriors Basketball Camp staff, practicing their jumpers and ball handling on the brand-new baskets and court surfacing. Just off the court, community members enjoyed a Warriors Fun Zone filled with food trucks, a balloon artist and a face painter, courtesy of PG&E.
“This is a neighborhood that we work in, serve in and a lot of our employees live in this area of San Francisco, so we care deeply for the wellbeing of this community,” said PG&E Spokesperson Andrea Menniti. “This is one of three events we are partnering with the Warriors today, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to roll up our sleeves and show our commitment to this neighborhood.”
This event is part of the Local Warriors program, presented by PG&E, as Warriors fans and community members join Warriors players and PG&E staff to volunteer their time and resources to invest in diverse local communities. With a focus on education, economic vitality, the environment and emergency preparedness, PG&E is aligning charitable resources and volunteerism to help create a strong, resilient and sustainable California.
“Dogpatch is a vibrant neighborhood in transition, so we need our public spaces now more than ever,” said Green Benefit District Executive Director Julie Christensen. “We’re thankful to the Warriors and PG&E volunteers for transforming these areas so much in just one day, because it means so much for the well-being and sustainability of this growing community.”