Thursday, Boston Children's Hospital announced a historic gift of more than $200 million from the Boston Celtics ownership group and the Boston Celtics, in association with the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation.
"While the size of this gift is unprecedented for Boston Children's Hospital, its significance will ultimately be measured not by the record it sets, but by the lives it will save," said Dr. Kevin Churchwell, CEO, Boston Children's Hospital.
"The Celtics have historically been defined by the concept that true legacy is more than what happens on the court," said Bill Chisholm, Boston Celtics Chairman and Governor. "Boston Children's and the Celtics share a belief that it takes every single one of us to achieve our most ambitious goals. This gift is our commitment to the next generation in Boston and far beyond. We all win when we invest in our children's futures."
This historic gift can have a profound impact. That includes helping to build the nation's preeminent pediatric mental health facility. It can also help with earlier interventions for kids in crisis. The same goes for empowering research into emerging therapies for childhood diseases. It will also go a long way towards the research to discover the origins of adult diseases. This gift supports advanced training for pediatric nurses. In other words, it will do a world of good.
Celtics trio gives back to the community
That same day, Ron Harper Jr., Mike Conley, and Dillon Mitchell were at the Watertown Boys & Girls Club. They were there to help the Boston Celtics and Xfinity host a Halloween surprise party on Thursday.
Dressed for the occasion, Harper arrived as the Cat in the Hat. When Conley was introduced to a throng of cheers from a delighted crowd, he was in a Scooby-Doo costume. Mitchell came as SpongeBob SquarePants.
The trio signed autographs, took pictures, and participated in games like pop-a-shot, knockout, and ring toss. Conley won a competition where each of them had a partner, but had to make as many shots as possible from the free-throw line. The catch? They had to use their non-shooting hand.
That won the other half of his tandem tickets to the Celtics' game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 4 at TD Garden. Along with the tickets, Conley also signed a basketball for his teammate in that competition.
What is Mike Conley learning about Boston?
The Celtics' first move in free agency this summer was to sign the former All-Star. He chose Boston because he wanted the opportunity to experience what it is like to play for one of the NBA's flagship franchises. The one with the most championship banners and Hall of Famers resoundingly checks that box. It's the league's original monarchy.
So, what is Conley learning about his new home?
"It's been great," he said about getting acclimated to Boston and connecting with the community. "It helps you realize what this community is and the culture that is built around the Celtics and a lot of the things that the Celtics bring to the city."
The former All-Defensive Team selection, now in his 20th NBA season, also seems to be loving his time with the Celtics. He got to manage Boston's rotations in a preseason game. Fittingly, the next day, NBA.com released its annual survey of the league's general managers. They voted Conley the active player who would make the best head coach someday.
The former Ohio State star has quickly proven a valuable resource for players like Payton Pritchard and burgeoning wings like Baylor Scheierman. He also recently made his season debut in the Celtics' 134-99 win over the Chicago Bulls. He made a pair of 3s in the victory. He also swiped two steals. That was his first chance to have a direct impact on the court. Thursday was an opportunity for Conley to strengthen his bond with his new community, which he's enjoying getting to know.
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