THE COLONY – Little Joshua Snowden, and his sister Heaven, shadowed by the tall figures of Dwight Powell and A.J. Lawson, gravitated toward the wall of Mavericks’ jerseys, sweatshirts and other assorted gear.
They sorted through rows of Luka Dončić’s No. 77 swag, but weren’t going to be satisfied until they found a No. 7 – Powell’s number.
Joshua and Heaven, who quite frankly were in their version of heaven, were two of the guests of honor at SCHEELS, the huge outdoor and entertainment store where the Mavericks partnered with Christian Community Action (CCA) of Lewisville for Thursday evening’s Holiday Shopping Spree for several needy families.
The event was the latest in the Mavericks’ Season of Giving series.
Powell and Lawson accompanied the families on their Christmas wish-list extravaganza, along with the Mavericks’ D-Town Crew, ManiAACs and mascot Champ.
Each family member received a $500 gift card as they made the rounds at SCHEELS in The Colony.
“The families and especially the children didn’t expect anything so it’s a huge surprise for them,” said Amanda Hurst, the case-worker for Lakissa Gray and her kids, Joshua and Heaven. “They all have difficult situations they have been going through.
“They found out about this two weeks ago, but they didn’t know what they were getting into. We just told them there was an event. And then when I told them the amount, a couple of the kids screamed, literally. It’s amazing. It’s inspirational for the kids. They’re all happy and they wanted Mavericks’ items.”
Of which SCHEELS had plenty, along with virtually anything else the families could think of. The Colony location, one of 32 in the chain, is the world’s largest all-sports store at more than 333,000 square feet.
This was the second year of the shopping spree at SCHEELS. It’s a collaboration of the Mavericks, SCHEELS and CCA, which is one of North Texas’ largest nonprofits, providing more than 10,000 individual healing, feeding and educating services each year. It started in 1973 as a bible study of seven people. The organization now has 30 employees and more than 5,600 volunteers.
And Gray is one of the beneficiaries who has seen firsthand the work done by CCA.
“My journey started when I was living in a hotel,” Gray said. “And I was referred and went through the program and actually am still in the program. They provided emergency assistance for me. I found an apartment that I’m in now and they paid for my housing for a year.
“I set goals. And my goal was to provide a stable home for my children, my family. It was kind of rocky, because I don’t have transportation, so I use public transportation to do what I need to do. I was looking for work and got a good-paying job in September.
“I truly believe CCA is critical to this area.”
Gray got married a month ago. Her husband, Arthur, was at her side as the kids raced from deptarment to department in SCHEELS to fill up their shopping carts.
Gilbert Montez, president and CEO of CCA, said the partnership between SCHEELS and his organization grew before the store in The Colony opened in 2020.
“This is the second year we’ve done this,” he said. “SCHEELS started it for us. They and their employees were volunteering with our organization in Lewisville even before the store was built. So they already knew of us and how we work with families.
“When they thought of this idea, they called us before last Christmas and said they have a partnership with the Mavericks. So we’d love for you to select four or five families, bring them and we’ll partner them with a Maverick player and they’ll do some shopping with them.”
The payoff was the celebration of happiness on Thursday.
“To see the joy on their faces is just incredible,” Montez said. “All these families have been previously homeless. So we know the trials and tribulations they’ve had. These families were on the street, living in cars. And we’ve been able to help them find a place to live. And now we get to see them smile and have this kind of joy. It does nothing but bring joy to us.”
Powell and Lawson are two of the most generous Mavericks in terms of donating their time for community projects.
It was enlightening for Montez.
“I don’t know how they are recruited or asked, but what we witnessed is their generosity not only as players we see on the court, but we witnessed them as human beings,” he said. “(They) even took out of their own resources to buy things and that just blew us away. Many thanks to the Mavericks and their generosity.”
And it was made possible with the holiday generosity of SCHEELS.
Alex Koob, marketing and events manager for the store, said SCHEELS has partnered with CCA from the day they decided to move into Texas. Then having the Mavericks on board pushed this event over the top.
“The Mavs’ partnership started in the 2022-23 season and everything we’ve done with them has been top tier,” Koob said. “And we’re excited to keep making a huge impact in the community. The Mavs are dedicated to impacting the community just as much as we are and the tie-in is perfect.”
The Mavericks’ Season of Giving has included turkey giveaways at Buckner International and $25,000 grants supplied to four nonprofit organizations in connection with the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament.
And many more initiatives.
“It warms everybody’s hearts,” Koob said. “Not only have we done something good, but the families are going to have one of the best Christmases they’ve ever had, shopping with a player from the Dallas Mavericks and us providing a gift card for them to shop, it’s unlike anything else they’ll ever experience.”
X: @ESefko
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