<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>August 8, 2007 – The City of Mount Vernon, Mayor Ernest D. Davis, and Ben Gordon are set to open the 3rd Annual Ben Gordon Homecoming. This year, Ben’s homecoming has been expanded to a two-day event.</p> On Friday, August 24, and Saturday August 25, 2007, the city will host two days of activities designed to inspire and motivate the city’s young people and families.</p> “Ben Gordon’s commitment to his family, his deeply religious beliefs and his love of the Mount Vernon community were the motivating factors in determining this year’s theme,” said Mayor Davis. “We are happy and proud that Ben holds this community with such high regard and continually come back to provide our young people with encouragement through his involvement over the course of the weekend.”</p> Ben wowed the community when he played for the Mount Vernon High School Championship Knights. The city followed his rise at UConn, where he helped lead the way for the college to capture the 2004 NCAA Championship. When Ben was named the first rookie in NBA history to receive the Sixth Man of the Year Award during the 2004.05 season, the city stood as proud as his family.</p> “I am always happy to come home," said Gordon. "Mount Vernon has stood by me throughout my career. I can never forget the fundamentals I learned on the playgrounds in Mount Vernon and on the court of the high school under Coach Bob Cimmino.”</p> The festivities will begin on August 24 with a “Youthful Praise” inspirational concert featuring youth choirs, praise dancers, and motivational speakers. Friday’s activities are scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. on City Hall Plaza. Ben Gordon will be in attendance for the concert.</p> On August 25, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., a fun-filled day of family activities will be held in Mount Vernon’s Hartley Park (corners of East Lincoln & Gramatan Avenues – at the Roundabout). A family day festival will include 5 Star youth basketball clinics headed Coach Bob Cimmino and Nathan Plummer; NBA activities; a Women and Girls Fitness demonstration and workshop, as well as an exciting workshop, “The Game Behind the Game”, that will offer information on career opportunities off of the court. Ben’s annual basketball game will be coached by Ben Gordon and the New York Knicks’ Zach Randolph. </p> Registration for the basketball clinics is limited to 150 participants for each session on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications can be obtained at the Mount Vernon Recreation Department in City Hall (914.665.2420), the YMCA (914.668.4041) and the Boys and Girls Club (914.668.9580).</div></p> http://www.nba.com/bulls/community/bg_mtve...0824.html</p> </p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p><div class="title_art">Gordon shows his Mount Vernon pride </div> <div class="byline_art"> <span class="theByline">By RODERICK BOONETHE JOURNAL NEWS</span> </div> <div class="pubdate_art">(Original publication: August 25, 2007)</div> <div class="body_art"> MOUNT VERNON - Yvonne Gordon kept pressing the cell phone to her ear, getting constant updates as to her son's whereabouts.</p> All the while, the crowd outside Mount Vernon City Hall kept swelling by the minute, some awaiting the exciting homecoming while other curiosity seekers just wondered what was going on.</p> At 6:35 p.m., dressed in a snazzy, sharp, black-pinstriped suit and wearing a solid black tie, Ben Gordon emerged from inside City Hall and made his way down the stairs to the anxious crowd, who were all there yesterday to help kick off the third annual Ben Gordon Community Unity Weekend, a two-day event that concludes tonight.</p> "This weekend is just about the community," the former Mount Vernon High and UConn star told the crowd. "It's not really about me. It's about coming back and trying to show the younger people that you can make it out of the community and you never have to change who you are. You can be proud of the way your family brought you up, and you don't have to be ashamed to say I'm a Christian or you stand for something."</p> As the Chicago Bulls' guard addressed the crowd, standing not too far away was former Knick Allan Houston, who was there to lend his support. The Louisville, Ky., native later talked about how he felt at home here since his father, Wade Houston, came to this southern Westchester city 25 years ago to recruit Mount Vernon great Scooter McCray while Houston was an assistant at Louisville. Houston even joked people from New York probably never thought they'd see the day where they would actually cheer for anyone wearing the Bulls' uniform. But he was glad to be a small part of something big Gordon is doing for the community he says he represents anytime he steps foot outside in the public eye.</p> "What Ben is doing is he's giving back what he's been given out of his own heart," Houston said. "I'm an old guy now in terms of what we did when we played basketball, and it pleases me to see a young man who is not afraid to serve God and stand up to live his life for the Lord."</p> Mount Vernon mayor Ernest D. Davis presented Gordon with a key to the city, something he said he doesn't do all that often. It's events like these, Davis believes, that are a necessity during a time in which many communities are struggling to curb crime.</p> "When you start to see things that's happening, dogfighting and shootings, that comes from a lack of foundation," Davis said. "And what Ben is saying is, I'm not too big to believe in God, I'm not too big to be respectful, and I'm not too big to give back. And I've known him for a long time and he has not changed one iota simply because he makes a lot of money and he's a star and all that."</p> It's just another reflection of Gordon's grandmother. He's only passing along what Avis Gordon, instilled in him.</p> "He's teaching them values," she said. "He's showing them what they can achieve if they put their heart in it."</p> A full day of events is on tap today, beginning with a five-star basketball camp session for kids at 9 a.m. and concluding at 5:30 p.m. with a youth basketball game, in which Gordon coaches one team and newest Knick Zach Randolph will coach the other. There will be something throughout the day for everybody, which is exactly what the Gordons wanted.</p> "You try to do as many things so everyone is able to participate," Yvonne Gordon said, "and have some fun."</div></p> http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../708250374/1108</p> </p></div>
There will be a piece on NBA TV for Ben Gordon day airing sometime. (Maybe during the halftimes of a game, or on NBA Acess with Ahmad Rashad, or something).</p> </p> </p> </p> </p> </p>
