December 3, 2012
Warriors Make Wishes Come True for Bay Area Youth
Team Hosted Winter Wonderland With Comcast SportsNet Bay Area at Team’s Practice Facility
The Golden State Warriors and Comcast SportsNet Bay Area helped make 15 children’s wishes come true this holiday season.
On Sunday evening, Warriors players Festus Ezeli, Jarrett Jack, Richard Jefferson and Klay Thompson, , along with Assistant Coaches Darren Erman and Kris Weems, hosted 15 children and their families with Make-A-Wish for a holiday party at the Warriors Practice Facility. The Winter Wonderland, presented by Comcast SportsNet, was thrown for Bay Area youths with life-threatening medical conditions to fulfill their wish of meeting and playing with Warriors players.
“To be able to attend this event is a really amazing opportunity for our wish kids and their siblings and families because they would never have this opportunity to hang out with Warriors players,” said Make-a-Wish Program Director Linda de la Torre.
After a dinner at Warriors headquarters, the families were led into the decorated practice gym, with balloons covering the floor, games and activities spread across the room and the players welcoming the guests into their winter wonderland. Warriors Guard Jarrett Jack tipped-off the evening by thanking the families for coming and celebrating the holidays with them. Just before opening the floor for the evening packed with fun and games, Jack surprised each child by providing them with digital cameras so they could capture the party and their upcoming holiday celebrations.
“The Make-A-Wish Foundation and Comcast SportsNet put together a tremendous evening here, and I’m happy to do what I can to give back,” said Jack.
Happy children and playful Warriors were making connections by acting as co-anchors in the Comcast SportsNet SportsCaster Experience booth, making gingerbread houses, jumping in a basketball-themed bounce house or playing a game of air hockey or foosball.
“It’s priceless to see how much fun these kids are having, and how big Warriors fans they are. I’m having a great time and I want to do what I can to make sure they’re having a great time too,” said Klay Thompson.
With Christmas music in the air, kids racing to find their next adventure and the Warriors happy to make their wishes come true, it was easy to discover the spirit of the holidays at this event.
“This is a way for us to stay grounded and spend time with these great kids, because not everyone has had the good fortune that we’ve had. I want them to know to never give up, always fight hard and persist,” said Center Festus Ezeli.
This Winter Wonderland was part of the Warriors 15 Plays for the Holidays community outreach initiative, where all 15 Warriors players will participate in at least one event this holiday season to brighten the lives of Bay Area children and families.
The Warriors would like to extend a special thank you to the additional sponsors of the evening including Levy Cares, Kitchen on Fire, Fenton’s Creamery and Wienerschnitzel.
To learn more about the Bay Area’s Make-A-Wish foundation, which grants wishes to children with life threatening disabilities, visit www.sf.wish.org.