As part of the joint community impact venture between the Storm and Swedish, seven backboards were replaced at Leschi Elementary School

SEATTLE – As part of the StormAssist initiative, the Seattle Storm and Swedish teamed up to help renovate the playground at Leschi Elementary School by replacing all seven basketball hoop backboards.

“Our partnership with Swedish was founded on community impact,” said Storm President & GM Alisha Valavanis. “Today’s basketball hoop refurbish at Leschi Elementary School was another chance for us to come together and continue to offer resources and have some fun on the basketball court.”

With the backboards installed last week, Storm staff organized an assembly on June 22 to hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the new hoops. Valavanis emceed the assembly and put the kids through basketball drills. Storm staff also played a game of ‘Bump’ with the children as part of the backboards debut.

The Swedish Rehabilitation Performance Medicine (RPM) team was also in attendance.

The Storm would also like to give a special thank you to Leschi Elementary School principal, Rhonda Claytor and parent volunteers including Ben Duncan, Jim Gierman and Katie Busby for making this possible including the building and installation of these new backboards.

ABOUT STORMCARES

StormCares is the centerpiece of the Seattle Storm’s purpose, in which the franchise partners with organizations in the greater Puget Sound region to share core values and strengthen the community. Striving to connect leaders, mentors and role models with the community, StormCares develops life-long healthy habits through empowerment, inclusion and education. Also known as the ‘Starting 5,’ the five pillars of StormCares include: StormAcademy, StormAssist, StormFit, StormUnity and StormWellness.

The StormCares’ user-friendly website includes sign-up details for future events, as well as separate informative pages for each of the five pillars. Fans can now easily donate ‘Ticket 4 Kids,’ and the website also contains pictures and recaps regarding past community service events.

To view the brand-new StormCares website, CLICK HERE.

STORMASSIST

The StormAssist pillar allows the Storm to support programs through auction donations, Storm tickets and volunteer opportunities. By making the ‘extra pass,’ StormAssist offers unique experiences and memorable moments, such as ‘3’s for Trees,’ where the Storm partnered with Carter Subaru this past season to plant 247 trees in the Mountains to Sound Greenway.

The Storm’s auction donations engage hundreds of non-profits in Washington each year and include several audiences, from large foundation fundraisers to small parent-teacher organizations seeking to provide a better educational experience for youth.

To learn more about StormAssist, CLICK HERE.