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You know that awesome new-car smell?
Take it from Mavericks’ rookie Isaiah Roby, it’s nothing compared to that new-home smell, especially at Christmastime.
The Mavericks’ second annual Day of Service brought Roby and more than 100 front-office staffers to a new home being built by Habitat for Humanity. The day of hammering, painting and woodworking hit extremely close to home for the 6-8 forward.
Roby remembers moving into his family’s first house in Dixon, Ill., after he had moved around as a self-described Army brat.
It was a house built by Habitat for Humanity for his family.
“It’s crazy,” Roby said Thursday. “I was thinking about it when we pulled up to this house. When our house got built, I was only about 10 years old and couldn’t really help with anything. I would go to the store and pick up donuts for the guys working. But just being around it, great memories.
“I think everybody deserves a fair chance and every house Habitat for Humanity builds gives a family a new beginning. We actually got our house in November, right before Christmas and that first Christmas is really special in your brand new home. I’m excited for this family.”
“This family” is Juan Zuniga and Dalia Ortiz, and their 3-year-old daughter Valerie. They will know the joy of which Roby spoke when they move into their new home in West Dallas in December – just in time to celebrate Christmas.
Juan works as a commercial air conditioner installer. He, Dalia and Valerie have been living in a bedroom in his parents’ home. They have been dreaming of more space and a place to call their own.
Now, it’s going to happen.
The Mavericks’ staffers, led by CEO Cynt Marshall and a number of vice presidents, came out in force on Thursday to help provide labor at several Habitat sites. In addition to the house that will be awarded to Zuniga and his family, the Mavericks’ volunteers also helped paint another house and worked in the construction area at the Habitat headquarters, which included painting some unique visual additions to future houses.
“This makes me proud to see so many of you out here,” Marshall said to her team as they commenced work. “This is our second annual day of service as a Mavs’ family. I truly believe that if we serve together in the community, we will serve each other better in the office and we’ll serve our fans better. And today, we get to make an impact. And I’d like to focus on the last three letters of the word ‘impact,’ which is act. We get to take action (and) really impact families.
“Just think of Christmas and some little (children) are going to be walking through a door that we had something to do with. That is huge. We’re getting ready to truly change lives. And that’s what the Mavs are all about. We are about basketball, but we’re about more than basketball. We’re about touching lives and communities and making things better.”
Marshall grew up in government housing. But she and Roby weren’t the only Mavericks that were moved by the day of contributing to the building of a house for a needy family.
Christopher Mcjimson, one of the Mavs’ ManiAACs, was at the house-building event, which happened in the same neighborhood in which Mcjimson grew up.
“I actually went to an elementary school not two blocks from this house, C.F. Carr,” the 46-year-old Mcjimson said. “I use to walk from that little elementary school to my house, three miles. That was before you had to live within two miles of your school.
“I’ve watched this community and it’s changing a lot. My home church is just three blocks from here. Just to know that there’s a family going to be moving here in December and they probably never had a new house before, that’s awesome. It warms your heart.”
As part of their day of service, the Mavericks also delivered a check for $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity.
That, plus the more than 300 hours of service that were logged by employees Thursday, made it a banner day for both the Mavericks and the Habitat.
David Caldwell, the CEO of the Dallas area Habitat for Humanity, said the Mavericks are invaluable to the core of his organization.
“The Mavs are obviously a cornerstone in the community and we think Habitat is as well,” said Caldwell, who noted that a lot of professional athletes, like Houston Texans’ quarterback Deshaun Watson, grew up in Habitat housing. “The Mavs are helping us help a family. And it’s all about helping one family at a time, moving them into a home and making an impact on lives.
“The support of the Mavs is remarkable. To see more than 100 people out here, that’s a testament to the organization and the culture there. It’s a huge gesture in that family’s life – gigantic, nothing bigger.”
The Mavericks have rebuilt the business side of the franchise since the hiring of Marshall early in 2018. They have initiated numerous programs such as Thursday’s day of service as Marshall has made good on her statement in her introductory news conference in February, 2018, when she said the Mavericks “will be the standard of inclusion and diversity.”
Twitter: @ESefko
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