Sacramento Awarded Fourth Consecutive WNBA “Court of Dreams”

By the Sacramento Monarchs
Posted Monday, August 25, 2008

New York, NY, August 25, 2008 — The WNBA and the Sacramento Monarchs turned another dream into reality today as they announced the winner of the league-wide 2008 “Court of Dreams” contest. Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, in partnership with the Sacramento Monarchs, Wells Fargo and St. John’s Shelter Program for Women and Children, have been awarded their fourth consecutive “Court of Dreams” for Sacramento.

“Court of Dreams” is an annual WNBA promotional campaign involving community groups from each of the 14 WNBA team markets competing to sell the most tickets for local WNBA games through the program period. Winners of the contest have the opportunity to select one of three prizes: a WNBA-identified basketball court, a Reading and Learning Center or $10,000 cash. St. John’s Shelter Program for Women and Children has chosen to receive a Reading and Learning Center.

“The WNBA and the Sacramento Monarchs are so pleased to be part of a community that comes together to build better opportunities for our youth to learn, play and grow," said WNBA President Donna Orender. “Congratulations to the Sacramento area Rotary and Kiwanis clubs and Wells Fargo for all your efforts.”

The Sacramento area Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, Wells Fargo and the Sacramento Monarchs won a Reading and Learning Center for Oak Ridge Elementary School in 2007. In 2006, Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs teamed up with the Sacramento Monarchs to win an official regulation WNBA basketball court for the YMCA of Greater Sacramento. In 2005, though the Washington Mystics won the national promotion by two tickets, Joe and Gavin Maloof stepped up to show their appreciation to the Rotary and Kiwanis group’s exceptional effort and results by building a new basketball court for the Children's Receiving Home, a shelter for abused and neglected children in Sacramento County.

“The Rotary Clubs in Rotary District 5180 are pleased to have won another Court of Dreams for the Sacramento area,” said Doug Kraft, Co-Chair, Sacramento Court of Dreams, Rotary District 5180. “This is the fourth consecutive year we have been awarded a ‘Court of Dreams.’ During this period, we have purchased over 20,000 tickets to WNBA games, raised in excess of $30,000 for the Kiwanis Family House and Rotary’s Polio Plus, have sent thousands of kids to WNBA basketball games and have built a basketball court and two Reading and Learning Centers for deserving organizations in our community.”

Gary Christensen, Kiwanis New Build Project Manager and Co-Chair, Sacramento Court of Dreams added,
“Winning another ‘Court of Dreams’ shows just what can be accomplished when a team of dedicated Kiwanians and Rotarians focus their community service efforts towards such a tremendous contest. St. John’s Shelter is so deserving of the Reading and Learning Center, which will be used to assist many women and children. And with over 5,000 donation tickets sold to win the contest, several thousand deserving children were able to attend a Sacramento Monarchs game this season. Congratulations to all who participated.”

Felix Fernandez, Wells Fargo Northern California Regional President added, "Wells Fargo is pleased to be the presenting partner of the ‘Court of Dreams.’ We are proud to align ourselves with great organizations that share a similar community vision such as Kiwanis, Rotary and the Monarchs. At Wells Fargo we believe that we are only as successful as the communities we serve. Our team members volunteer over 20,000 hours each year and the Wells Fargo Foundation supports over 600 non-profit organizations like St John's Shelter. Being a part of the new Reading and Learning Center at St John's Shelter solidifies our commitment to the Sacramento community."

St. John’s mission is to support women who are homeless with children to advance from a point of crisis to a position of self-sufficiency. St. John’s Shelter Program for Women and Children is the only shelter program in Sacramento County focused exclusively on women with children - the most vulnerable of the homeless population. Since 1985, the program has provided a safe and supportive haven to more than 23,000 displaced women and children.

“Most of the children who enter the doors of St. John's have been in multiple schools over the past year, sometimes as many as eight schools in a year,” said Michele Steeb, Executive Director, St. John’s Shelter Program for Women & Children. “To be able to enroll them in one school for the 90 days we have with them, and moreover, to be able to offer them a state-of-the-art Reading and Learning Center in which they can study and progress while St. John's is their home, this is truly a dream come true for our families and our staff. Thank you to our supporters including Rotary, Kiwanis, Wells Fargo and the Sacramento Monarchs for making this happen for our families who are homeless, not helpless. The impact that this Center will have on the 600+ families who enter St. John's each year is immeasurable.”

“We are so proud to be a part of winning another ‘Court of Dreams’ for the Sacramento community,” said Danette Leighton, Vice President of Monarchs Business Operations. “We’d like to once again thank the Sacramento area Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs and Wells Fargo for making four consecutive ‘Court of Dreams’ a reality.”