PRESS RELEASE FROM EL SEGUNDO:
Los Angeles Lakers Assistant General Manager Ronnie Lester will donate $100,000 to the University of Iowa Foundation to support the Carver-Hawkeye Arena Enhancements Campaign.
“As a member of the Carver-Hawkeye Arena campaign committee, I am pleased to step forward to make this gift,” said Lester. “Coach Lickliter has the program moving in the right direction, and I want to do my part to help this important project.”
Lester is a member of the committee that is leading the fundraising effort to upgrade the 26-year-old facility. The goal of the Carver-Hawkeye Arena Enhancemens Campaign is to raise at least $20 million to modernize the current facility, despite no state funding.
“We are thrilled to receive this gift from Ronnie Lester,” said UI Director of Athletics Gary Barta. “He is one of the all-time great basketball players at Iowa. It’s always special to see former student-athletes reach back and support the Hawks.”
At the request of Lester, the UI Department of Intercolegiate Athletics will name the training room at the remodeled Carver-Hawkeye Arena in honor of longtime UI athletic trainer John Streif.
“John Streif has been a terrific friend to me for more than 30 years. He has worked tirelessly to support me and numerous other athletes over four decades now,” said Lester. “His dedication to the Hawkeyes is legendary, and I’m honored to name the training room for him.”
“On top of his generosity, it is terrific that Ronnie has chosen to honor John Streif,” said Barta. “I can’t think of anyone more deserving.”
A former two-time All-American standout from the University of Iowa, Lester left the university as the Hawkeyes’ all-time leader in both points (1,675) and assists (480).
Among my favorite pregame routines during media access throughout the 2008-09 regular season was stopping by the locker of the always interesting D.J. Mbenga.
The event runs from Sept. 2nd to 6th, and aside from a bevy of basketball activities featuring the Top 60 African players from 15+ countries (ages 19 and under), includes the following visits by the NBA: Sustainable Food Garden Project at Cotlands Home Based Care Facility- Soweto; Habitat for Humanity Build Day; Soweto Kliptown Youth (SKY) Trust Visit; Hoops4Hope Girls Basketball Clinic; and Life Skills Seminars including two sessions on “HIV/AIDS Education and Living a Healthy Lifestyle.”
Charity is often more meaningful when it helps children, which is why Monday’s 19th Annual Lakers Celebrity Golf Invitational at the Riviera Country Club was particularly successful.
As part of the Lakers “A Season of Giving” campaign, the team hosted its annual holiday party for underprivileged children on Saturday. Ninety children from the Asian Youth Center, Boys & Girls Club of West San Gabriel Valley and Heart of Los Angeles Youth enjoyed a holiday luncheon, played interactive games with Lakers players and the Laker Girls, took photos, received autographs and were presented with Lakers gifts.
Now that we got all the details in there, we can focus on the main attraction: Harry and Justin (pictured). 





