featured-image

Pelicans donating $100,000 to Nicholls State hurricane relief fund

More than anyone on the current New Orleans roster, veteran guard/forward Garrett Temple knows first-hand why areas in Louisiana need help following the destruction caused by major hurricanes. While attending college at LSU in 2005, Temple had relatives who were forced to move from New Orleans to live with the Temple family in Baton Rouge following Hurricane Katrina.

There are more families in need now along the Gulf South due to the impact of Hurricane Ida in August. As a result, the Pelicans announced Saturday that the organization is donating $100,000 to Nicholls State’s new Campus Emergency & Hurricane Relief Fund.

“Me being from here, understanding how (hurricanes) devastate areas, it makes you grateful (for what you have),” Temple said. “(Seeing it) humbles you. That’s part of the reason why we’re donating what we are.”

At the start of the 2005-06 college basketball season, Temple and his LSU teammates dedicated the Tigers’ campaign to Hurricane Katrina victims. LSU ended up making a memorable run to the 2006 Final Four, despite being a No. 4 seed in its region. Temple noted Saturday that the Pelicans have chosen to dedicate this 2021-22 season to Hurricane Ida victims.

“Hopefully we can have some success like (LSU did on the court in 2005-06) this year,” he said of the Pelicans.