Maloof Sports & Entertainment Celebrates the Holidays by Giving Back to Others

On Thursday, December 12, Kings and Monarchs players, volunteers from the Kings Women’s Organization, Royal Court Dancers, Slamson and employee volunteers joined forces for the first-ever Maloof Sports & Entertainment “Day of Holiday Giving.” A daylong series of community visits and events continued Maloof Sports & Entertainment’s tradition of holiday outreach in the Sacramento community and featured an increased number of activities from previous years.

“Giving back to those less fortunate in the Sacramento community this holiday season is very important to my family and I, and that commitment is shared by everyone at Maloof Sports & Entertainment,” said Joe Maloof, owner of the Sacramento Kings and Monarchs. “We closed the office for the day and encouraged all team members to participate in this Day of Holiday Giving so that as a team, we could make a difference in this community that has fully embraced our organization.”

Throughout the day on December 12, players and volunteers teamed up across Sacramento for a day of holiday shopping, eating, decorating and fun. The day started with a group of 18 students from Mustard Seed School, who were taken shopping at Target for warm clothes, toys and gifts for their families. Each student was paired with a volunteer, including Monarchs player Yolanda Griffith and Kings mascot Slamson, and shopped til’ they dropped. After shopping, the students were bused to ARCO Arena for a pizza party lunch and a special appearance by Kings star Mike Bibby.

While the Mustard Seed students were enjoying their lunch at ARCO Arena, across town Ruthie Bolton from the Sacramento Monarchs was sharing some quality time with other Maloof Sports & Entertainment volunteers and approximately 200 Parkway Elementary School students as part of the Lunch Buddy Program. Bolton and volunteers had lunch with the students and then participated in a Reading Team Challenge with the students during an assembly that followed lunch. Bolton expressed the importance of reading and took some time to share some of her favorite books with the students.

Following the lunch parties, volunteers headed to Shriner’s Hospital to join Kings stars Peja Stojakovic. Hedo Turkoglu and Jim Jackson, Monarchs All-Star Ticha Penicheiro and Slamson for a small holiday party with the hospital’s patients in the activity area. Players handed out hundreds of gifts and signed countless items for the patients. Stojakovic and Turkoglu also visited the rooms of patients who were unable to make it down for the activities in the recreation area.

After Shriner’s, it was off to La Familia Counseling Center to join Vlade Divac, Gerald Wallace, Damon Jones, Ruthie Bolton, Ticha Penicheiro and Slamson to distribute food baskets and holiday decorations to 50 families. Each family received a food basket with holiday dinner supplies and holiday decorations including lights and Christmas trees. Upon picking up their gifts, families enjoyed a holiday party with the players, dancers, Slamson and volunteers. Refreshments were served and Santa and Mrs. Clause even made a guest appearance for those in attendance.

Other events that occurred that day include a Teacher Appreciation appearance with Kings guard Bobby Jackson. Jackson visited State Teacher of the Year, Virginia Avila, at Grant Union High School. Also, Lawrence Funderburke took approximately 20 students from Babcock Elementary School on a field trip during the afternoon. These students participate in the Lawrence Funderburke Youth Organization, an after school program founded by Funderburke to provide mentoring, educational experiences and goal setting for underprivileged youth.

In the end, players, dancers, mascots volunteers and kids went home tired, but the impression made from the first-ever Day of Holiday Giving is one that will stay in the minds of everyone for years to come. From everyone at Maloof Sports & Entertainment, the Sacramento Kings and the Sacramento Monarchs, Happy Holidays and may the New Year bring you good health and happiness.