Community Corner

Lakers Great A.C. Green Helps Team Serve Seniors

The L.A. Lakers bring their 'Season of Giving' to Long Beach Senior Center with Thanksgiving dinner.

As much as they are missing the NBA action, Long Beach seniors got one fantastic benefit from the ongoing pro basketball lockout: a visit Thursday from L.A. Lakers coach Mike Brown, former star player A.C. Green and the Laker Girls.

The occasion was early Thanksgiving dinner, which the Lakers front office served. Players can't have contact with the team under terms of contract negotiations, which have not resolved. But for every professional league game not played, the team management is making community visits to support service organizations that help people. And they are able now to travel farther than L.A. proper given more time is now unfilled by travel and games.

And so a cheerful Lakers Coach Mike Brown, former Lakers great A.C. Green, Laker Girls and community relations workers arrived by 3:30 p.m. at the Long Beach Senior Center at 1150 E. Fourth Street, and chatted with many of their elders for some time, signing a few autographs.

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"I'm really thrilled," said Mary Brush, 66, who rides the bus to the senior center five or six days a week for meals and companionship. She walks with a walker but sings with great ease as part of two sing-along nights center. She is also a diehard Lakers fan. "I have a sign with a smiley face on it that I hang on the TV at home when they win a game," she said.

Coach Brown worked the buffet line, where turkey and gravy and all the side dishes were catered by Lucille's BBQ. Waiter for the evenoing was former Lakers star A.C. Green, who carried heaping plates of traditional holiday fixings to dozens of senior patrons at dining tables.

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Lakers Emmy-winning announcer Bill Mcdonald had introduced the day's program, "A Season of Giving," with this main point to the diners: "You're not lifting a finger."

That was a treat for some of the single women diners, and widowers, who remarked that it was nice to be pampered. Larry Dean had come to support his karaoke singing friend, Raul Ramirez, who sings Sweet Caroline, South of the Border, Rancho Grande and his favorite, El Rey. But Dean was quite tickled to meet the Lakers legends.

"I wanted to meet A.C. and Coach Brown. I've watched A.C.'s whole career," Dean marveled.

Maria Soares, 74, was sitting with three or four fellow members of a weaving group from the senior center. She comes to the center up to six days a week but two specifically to weave rugs.She is also part of a spinning wheel class there.

"What are you going to do in your apartment all day? I say this place is heaven. Everyone cares about each other," she added.

The Center is a lively hive of daily activities and classes and fitness programs that are heavily attended, including a daily meal offering.

After the last pumpkin pie course was served, Wii Bowling was played, karaoke was sung and raffle prizes awarded. And each senior was given a Laker bag of swag.

If regular season games were going on, the team would be very limited to nearby groups in L.A. only, because of limited time in usual season competition. This season the team has been able to make more visits out of their usual short radius.


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