COURT TO COMMUNITY: SPURS GIVE & SPURS OUTREACH INITIATIVES

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DJ stepping up to do his part with helping frontline workers:

Dejounte Murray donates 500 pairs of sneakers to San Antonio frontline medical workers

The Spurs guard recently donated 500 pairs of New Balance sneakers for frontline workers at San Antonio's University Health Systems and the workers are incredibly grateful.

"As a thank you to healthcare workers in our community, San Antonio Spurs Point Guard Dejounte Murray donated 500 pairs of New Balance athletic shoes to our awesome frontline heroes! Thank you, Dejounte, for recognizing our hard working team!"

Murray graciously thanked the workers, applauding them for their efforts at fighting COVID-19 in San Antonio.

"No Thank You For Your Hard Work That Doesn’t Go Unnoticed!! Thankful That I Can Help Through These Tough Times!!"

Murray recently did the same for Seattle, WA hospital Virginia Masion Medical Center's frontline workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Murray, who is from Seattle, donated 580 pairs of New Balance sneakers to hospital staff who are still providing care during the current pandemic.

https://news4sanantonio.com/sports/dejounte-murray-donates-500-pairs-of-sneakers-to-san-antonio-frontline-medical-workers

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Spurs Give supporting the community throughout the pandemic:

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The Admiral continuing to come through in providing a new system of opportunities for future generations:

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My heart really goes out for Lonnie. This is a good way to use his voice and support others. Transformative for both.

Lonnie Walker IV commissions art for a good cause

Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV hopes to use art to combat abuse.

Walker, who earlier this month revealed he had been the victim of childhood sexual abuse, has teamed up with three San Antonio-based artists to commission original artwork that ties into his personal story.

The pieces will be auctioned online, with proceeds tabbed to benefit Family Violence Prevention Servies.

"I shared my story with the hope that others who have, or are currently facing abuse know they’re not alone. It is so easy to want to hide this kind of hurt or harm from others, even to hide it from yourself at moments. I have taken some time during this COVID-19 hiatus to face this part of my past and I have found some peace. Now it’s my turn to help others find that same freedom,” Walker said in a release from his marketing representatives. “Abuse does not define who you are. With time, patience and a little self-love, you will overcome the hurt. You will rise above.”

https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/Lonnie-Walker-IV-commissions-art-for-a-good-cause-15360573.php

Per the article, RapidArts, Brian Ellingboe and Armando Zimmerle were commissioned to create the works of art.

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More info about the art auction Lonnie has put together:

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The Spurs Give Together initiative and its impressive results

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Rudy's a real one. Solid community work throughout his time with us:

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Less talked about during the pandemic, but this is a crucial lifeline of support:

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Results of Lonnie's art auction going to a wonderful cause:

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It's good to see more prominent athletes speaking about mental health awareness. DeMar's been a leader in giving voice to this important aspect of health that has found a great platform in sports to amplify the message and reach more men. A good listen:

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This one is literally court to community, and so Patty.

Patty, great human filling a need, is starting a basketball school - Indigenous Basketball Australia - which will begin in 2021 and "focus on creating 'pathways and opportunities at the grassroots level' for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth..." as well as "on fundamental skills development and competitions by facilitating programs in regions across Australia."

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As part of his ongoing commitment to improve the social and economic conditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia, the San Antonio Spurs star started IBA to create pathways at the grassroots level so they can succeed on the elite stage....

IBA will facilitate targeted community basketball competitions, national tournaments and development camps which will compliment and support the current Australian basketball systems and provide better opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youths to progress through those systems in the future.

At present, Indigenous youth are being detained at a rate 23 times that of non-Indigenous young people. Currently, of the 10 to 13-year-old’s incarcerated, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children make up approximately 70 per cent of this younger age group. Mills is determined to change these disturbing statistics through his IBA program. “We should feel responsible to take urgent and innovative actions to address this gross negligence occurring in the lives of young Indigenous people,” he said. “Basketball will be the vehicle, and IBA will drive this vehicle to one day see more Indigenous Australians pulling on the Green and Gold for the Boomers or Opals.

“But if IBA can create the positive environment that allows my people to enjoy a healthy and safe life, to be accepted and participate in a society free from discrimination, then that’s the real win for my people in this life.”

The programs run by IBA will be underpinned by culture, education, health, safety, and wellbeing. It will also allow young Indigenous people to retain cultural practices, strengthen and promote their individual cultural identity and lead healthy lifestyles.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/american-sports/nba/nba-patty-mills-sets-up-foundation-to-help-indigenous-youth/news-story/ea1433cd79fc465c0ace7b78a999b1b9

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Patty continues to do amazing work in various communities, this time expanding on his support for fighting domestic violence in SA:

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The Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence was launched last year in response to increases in domestic violence. The plan, which was developed by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, the Department of Human Services and the San Antonio Police Department, approaches domestic violence as a public health issue rather than a law enforcement one. A year later, the CCDV is hosting a virtual symposium Oct. 29-30, which is free and open to the public.

Mills will serve as the opening speaker at the event that will also feature nationally-renowned speakers.... The San Antonio Police Department reported an 18 percent increase in family violence calls in March, when stay-at-home orders first went into effect.... The symposium will be hosted online, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 29 and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 30. Those interested in attending can register for free here.

https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Spurs-player-Patty-Mills-to-help-launch-city-s-15640926.php

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Good of DeMar for continuing to be a leading voice in this important aspect of health that still gets stigmatized:

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EDIT to add:

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Update on Patty's participation in the Domestic Violence Symposium. Really important to bring attention to this cause:

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After starting Indigenous Basketball Australia, a grassroots program that facilitates development camps, competitions, and tournaments, Patty has now started a basketball league which will be run under IBA. Amazing work that will help so many Indigenous youth and families :

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Lockdown gave Spurs’ Patty Mills time to develop basketball league for Indigenous youth

In the latest example of his deep commitment to helping the Indigenous population of Australia, Mills has launched a youth basketball league for Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders under 14 years of age.

The Indigenous Community Basketball League, which will be run by Mills’ Indigenous Basketball Australia, kicks off its inaugural season in February.

Besides providing a pathway to the next level of basketball for Indigenous youth, the league will focus on preserving cultural practices, strengthening and promoting their individual identity and promoting education, health, safety and well-being.

Mills said his latest venture is all about helping young people “unlock their full potential in an environment that is safe and free from any discrimination.”

“It’s about giving them the best possible chance to succeed in anything,” he said. “And then it’s about inspiring other organizations and other sports to do the same thing.”

By limiting the league to ages 14 and under, Mills is targeting an age group in which he said vital “cognitive learning and development” takes place.

The league, he said, will help them “fully understand who they are and celebrate that on a regular basis.”

“To make sure they don’t lose that part of their identity is super important, and we will do that from a cultural standpoint as well as basketball,” he said.

The competition will run across eight locations in Australia, beginning February 7 and ending with a national tournament in April on the Gold Coast.

“It’s always going to be about the next generation - all of these different kids, Indigenous, Black, minorities, whoever it is,” he said. “That’s me being a role model, just trying to lead the way.”

https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/Lockdown-gave-Spurs-Patty-Mills-time-to-15891324.php

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Patty's incredible work is getting the attention and support it deserves! :

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Details about Patty's IBA partnership with the NBA:

NBA partners with Patty Mills' Indigenous Basketball Australia

Patty Mills' work to empower Indigenous-Australian athletes at the grassroots level now has the backing of the NBA, with the league announcing on Friday that it is joining forces with Indigenous Basketball Australia (IBA) in its inaugural year.

Through its Jr. NBA program -- the league's global youth basketball initiative -- the NBA will conduct a camp, led by international NBA coaches at the National Indigenous Basketball Tournament (NIBT) at the Gold Coast in Queensland, on April 11-13, 2021.

The Jr. NBA-run camp will feature 48 boys and girls, and it was also announced that up to two boys and two girls participating in the upcoming Indigenous Community Basketball League (ICBL) and NIBT will be selected to participate in the Jr. NBA Global Championship Asia-Pacific athlete selection pathway camp planned for later in the year.

NBA Asia managing director Scott Levy added: "We are proud to stand alongside NBA Champion Patty Mills, an Australian icon for his basketball achievements and for his tireless off-the-court efforts to positively effect change in his community.

"Youth empowerment is a shared goal of the NBA and IBA, and through the Jr. NBA program, we can support Patty's mission of providing opportunities and pathways for Indigenous youth of Australia."

https://www.espn.com.au/nba/story/_/id/30834382/nba-partners-patty-mills-indigenous-basketball-australia-iba

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How Lonnie's foundation is making an impact in his community:

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Long overdue, well deserved for Patty!

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More on Patty's NBA Community Assist Award:

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PATTY'S THE ABSOLUTE TRUE BLUE BEST TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE SPURS!!!