LA Sports Legend Joins Staples to Honor LAPD Detective Evangelyn Nathan

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, February 17, 1999

LA Sports Legend Joins Staples to Honor
LAPD Detective Evangelyn Nathan

LOS ANGELES, CA., February 4, 1999 — Basketball superstar and humanitarian Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, teamed up with Staples, Inc. today to launch Staples Community Stars, a program that recognizes exceptional community service in Southern California. Abdul-Jabbar presented the program’s first Staples Community Star to Evangelyn Nathan, volunteer Big Sister and detective for the Los Angeles Police Department. "Evangelyn embodies the spirit of a Staples Community Star by donating her time as a mentor to a girl in need of love and guidance," Abdul-Jabbar said, speaking from Staples Center construction site. "Whether it is the president of the PTA, the local den mother or the neighborhood watch captain, a Staples Community Star is someone like Evangelyn who is taking action to positively affect lives." Evangelyn is also a youth mentor with her church and is chair of the African American Community Advisory Council for Big Sisters of Los Angeles.

Abdul-Jabbar also presented a posthumous Honorary Staples Community Star to the family of his long time mentor, Professor Albert Hoxie. "It was Professor Hoxie who first impressed upon me the true power of higher learning," Abdul-Jabbar said. "I wanted to be brilliant like him, to come even close would have meant that I had accomplished something in my life." Proceeds from Professor Hoxie’s estate will enable future generations of UCLA students to experience art history abroad, first hand. The Professor was also involved with the Blind Children’s Council, Police and Sheriffs Review and the Los Angeles County Police Canine Association.

"We are proud to launch an effort that recognizes people who make outstanding contributions to the community," said Jeanne Lewis, Executive Vice President, Marketing for Staples.

To recognize Staples Community Stars’ contributions to the community, Staples will make a $1,000 donation in each honoree’s name to the non-profit organization of their choice. In addition, Staples will make a donation to the Staples Center Foundation to secure a tile star which will be permanently displayed among 5,000 porcelain stars in a specially designated area of Staples Center’s outdoor public plaza. Staples Center Foundation stars are available to the general public as part of an ongoing effort to raise $1 million. Donations will benefit youth programs throughout the city of Los Angeles with an emphasis on the communities surrounding Staples Center. "Staples Center will be a place for the entire community to enjoy. What better way to illustrate that than to have the names of our Staples Community Stars permanently displayed in the entrance to the arena," added Lewis.

Features on several Staples Community Stars recipients will air on the Fox 11 KTTV morning show ‘Good Day L.A.’ "There are very few stories that give us more satisfaction to report than those of people in the Southland who care enough to donate their time and energy to help make the community a better place to live," said Diana Vargas, Fox 11 KTTV, station manager.

The Staples Community Stars program is open to persons of all ages; anyone can nominate or be nominated. Nominations for Staples Community Stars will be accepted February 1, 1999 through March 20, 1999. Staples Community Stars nomination forms can be obtained at 74 Staples retail outlets in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties. One honoree will be chosen from the communities surrounding each store. For more information on how to nominate a local hero or for other program information, please call toll free, at 1-877-535-5986.

Staples Center, due to open in Fall 1999, will be the home of the Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, the 2002 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, nationally prominent entertainment spectaculars, concerts and family shows.

Staples, Inc. is a $7 billion retailer of office supplies, furniture and technology to consumers and business from home based businesses to Fortune 50 companies in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany. Headquartered outside Boston, Staples invented the office superstore concept and today is the largest operator of office superstores in the world. The company has over 37,000 employees serving customers through more than 900 office superstores, e-commerce, mail order catalogs and contract business. Staples is the proud naming rights partner of Los Angeles’ new sports and entertainment arena, Staples Center. For more information about the company, visit Staples Web site.

For Release 2:00 pm PST
February 17, 1999