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Holiday HelpersPublished: Thu, 01 Dec 2005 09:00:00 -0500 Thanksgiving has passed, but the holiday season has merely begun. Along with the typical headlines documenting the effects of tryptophan, images and articles of the good deeds of athletes have begun filtering their way into the newspaper, internet, and television. In particular, over the past few months members of the National Basketball Association have shown the way into the holiday season with an influx of giving and service. Shortly after Hurricane Katrina, approximately thirty members of the NBA staged a game in Houston devoted to raising donations for those affected by the natural disaster and entertaining thousands of evacuees. Furthermore, the NBA and National Basketball Players Association pledged to commit a total of at least $3 million to the relief efforts. All of the NBA franchises made their own contributions as well. Members of the Orlando Magic flew to Louisiana with 6,000 pounds of supplies. Franchises, including the Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Portland Trailblazers, pledged at least $500,000 dollars to the assistance of disaster victims. Dozens of NBA players made their own donations and traveled down to the Louisiana area with truckloads of supplies. While playing basketball in high school, Michael Redd promised his father, Pastor James Redd, “If I get to the NBA I’m getting you and mom . . . a new church.” At that time, Pastor Redd preached to his small congregation first in a storefront, and then in the basement of another local church. This past summer, Michael Redd, now a sharpshooting superstar guard with the Milwaukee Bucks, signed a $91 million contract, adding an exclamation point to his astronomic rise from a lowly second round draft pick to a superstar of a NBA franchise. Shortly afterwards, he wrote a check in the millions to contribute to the building of his father’s church. This hardly stands as a one-time decision for Redd, who has faithfully tithed since becoming a professional basketball player. “Without hesitation," he says of his decision. "You reap what you sow. You reap what you sow.” During the next five years, as part of the NBA CARES initiative, NBA players will seek to “raise and contribute $100 million dollars for charity, donate 1 million hours of hands-on volunteer service to communities worldwide, and build more than 100 places where kids can learn and play.”* As a part of that initiative, during Thanksgiving numerous players took time out of their own holiday to personally serve meals and donate towards the feeding of thousands of families. For example, members of the Miami Heat held an event in Miami to spread the holiday spirit among some one thousand families by spending time with them, giving gifts, and serving food. As we look at these players, we should realize that they could easily rest in contentment, pointing to their considerable monetary donations as their praiseworthy contribution to charity. Many of these players regularly donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to holiday causes. Yet actions truly speak louder than words. By going out, these athletes show that even though they have made magnanimous and generous financial contributions, nothing compares to actually going out and showing those in a less fortunate position that you care. Next time you see athletes giving away gifts and donating their time to brighten someone’s holiday season, applaud them for their actions. Then make an effort to find something you can do to brighten up someone else’s holiday.
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