City Year Seattle/King County to join Storm on Aug. 27 for pregame check presentation
SEATTLE – The Seattle Storm and Alaska Airlines today named youth mentorship organization City Year Seattle/King County the recipient of one million airline miles through the ‘Free Throws for the Future’ program. During a special pregame ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at Alaska Airlines Arena, members of the Alaska Airlines executive team and the Storm front office will present City Year with the donated miles and a check for $5,000.
“The opportunity to partner with Alaska Airlines on the Free Throws for the Future program is truly exciting. We hope through these donated miles and financial contribution to City Year we can make a positive impact in the lives of youth across the Puget Sound,” said Alisha Valavanis, CEO and General Manager of the Seattle Storm.
Throughout the season, Alaska Airlines donated 2,000 airline miles for each free throw made by the Storm both at home and on the road. To date, the defending champions have averaged 12.5 made free throws per game in the inaugural season of the Free Throws for the Future program.
City Year Seattle will use the Alaska Airlines miles to support 87 AmeriCorps members at 10 schools in South Seattle serving over 4,600 students. City Year partners with schools in communities challenged by persistent inequities in our education system to create learning environments where all students can build on their strengths and fully engage in their learning. City Year AmeriCorps members build strong, “near-peer” relationships with students and provide academic and social-emotional support, while serving as essential resources to the school to boost student learning and achievement. Through their work in schools and communities, City Year AmeriCorps members not only make a difference in the lives of students they serve, but also acquire valuable skills that prepare them to become the next generation of civically-engaged leaders.
“The Storm represents hard work, teamwork, strength and leadership, both on and off the court. They remind us how to lead – to work hard, support the team, give back,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, Vice president of external relations for Alaska Airlines. “And we’re honored to partner with the Storm this season to turn free throws into resources for our region’s young people by supporting City Year of Seattle & King County, with whom Alaska Airlines has had a 20-year partnership. City Year is in local schools every day supporting young people and their teachers to realize opportunity and strong futures.”
To secure your tickets to the Storm’s last two regular-season home games at Alaska Airlines Arena, call (206) 217-WNBA (9622) or visit StormBasketball.com.
ABOUT ALASKA AIRLINES
Alaska Airlines and its regional partners fly 44 million guests a year to more than 115 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flight to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America” in the J.D. Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study for 11 consecutive years from 2008 to 2018. Learn about Alaska’s award-winning service at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).
ABOUT THE SEATTLE STORM
The Seattle Storm is a three-time WNBA championship team committed to bringing a premium professional basketball and entertainment experience to a fan base rich in tradition and support. The organization places high value on community and building platforms to positively impact the overall entertainment, attraction and economy of the Puget Sound region. In addition, the Storm is dedicated to local youth development in the areas of fitness and wellness, with a special emphasis on inspiring leadership, motivation and the empowerment of girls and women. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit StormBasketball.com.
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