December Heralds a Spirit of Giving at Rising Stars

The Rising Stars calendar is a full one, with every month showcasing events the foundation offers.

Annual staples include fall and spring tryouts for the winter and summer basketball seasons, along with Rising Stars’ own March Madness, which helps determine the future of its senior class.

Sprinkled throughout the year are clinics, showcase tournaments, and its newest addition, Little Stars, which offers an introduction to basketball for girls and boys in grades pre-K through third.

But it is in December that Rising Stars rallies to bring every family together and demonstrates what the foundation’s meaning and purpose are truly about.

“Rising Stars has always been more than just basketball,” explains Paul Savramis, founder of Rising Stars. “Our mission is to promote education, but that includes having vehicles in place to do that,” Paul Savramis continues.

Family, community, and building bridges between both are what Paul Savramis strives to provide throughout the year for every family enrolled in the program. One area that holds special meaning for Paul Savramis is the Rising Stars community service program, which is a requirement for the foundation’s scholar-athletes.

Paul Savramis points to December’s Sandwich Making event as a prime example of what makes the year special for everyone.

“Families come together,” Paul Savramis explains. “Rising Stars uses the power of teams to introduce values children will need to make good decisions during their formative high school years. That’s in our mission and on our website, but it’s every December that it’s in everyone’s heart. It’s Christmas, and it’s time to give.”

During the event, families make thousands of sandwiches for those in need and deliver them to various organizations that serve the underserved.

“Seeing our families working together like that is one of the most meaningful and memorable experiences I have every year,” Paul Savramis concludes. “It’s the best way to appreciate the meaning of ‘more than just basketball,’ for me and for everyone else at Rising Stars.”