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Thursday September 18, 2008 7:18 PM

Rockets Lend Helping Hand


Players and staff come together to assist Hurricane Ike relief effort

Jason Friedman
Rockets.com Staff Writer

HOUSTON -The reminders are everywhere.

Nearly one week after Hurricane Ike tore through southeast Texas, its destructive presence still lingers like a loathsome black cloud extending a pall over the affected area. Everywhere you go there are fallen trees, broken homes and traffic lights rendered inoperative due to the massive power outage.

Of course, far more troubling is the toll this storm has taken on the area's residents. More than one million Houstonians are still trying to cope without the benefit of electricity. Getting gas or groceries remains a cumbersome chore. Then there are those who lost absolutely everything to Ike. Amidst so much devestation and destruction, it's easy to be overwhlemed by the bleak landscape before us right now.

Yet the city and its residents are already starting to regroup and rebuild. It's a process that begins, as it always does, with the healing power of hope and hard work. So with that in mind, the Houston Rockets reached out today in an effort to provide plenty of both.

In conjunction with Feed the Children, Leslie Alexander and the Rockets organization purchased several semi trucks loaded with pre-packaged, non-perishable food and basic essential toiletries which were distributed to area residents Thusday at the University of Houston's Robertson Stadium. Rockets' players and staff took turns handing out the goods.

"We’re just trying to help and contribute as much as possible," said Rockets' forward Mike Harris. It was a very unfortunate situation and I think we can do a great job giving back to the community and trying to help those that lost a lot of things – things that you can’t make up for and things that they’ll never get back. So we’re just trying to help in any possible way that we can.

"A lot of people are down. I have a couple friends who lived down in Galveston and the way they’re talking, you know, everything is lost. Luckily it’s all materialistic stuff and they have their memories and their family, but I’m just trying to support them in any way I can."

Said point guard Aaron Brooks: "It’s just good to see a smile on their face. I’m just trying to show them hope that everything’s going to be alright in the future. It’s been a time of devastation, so it’s just a good opportunity to give back."

To be sure, Thursday's effort was just a small step in helping the city move forward on its road to recovery. That's why Rockets' CEO Tad Brown says the club is already contemplating its next move.

"Mr. Alexander is always very clear: This is something that never ends with the beginning. So this is just the start of what we’re going to do to help the community as we go forward.

"He and I always talk about what the next steps could be in terms of providing infrastructure to help those in need. So we will continue as an organization to assess whatever damages there are and whatever opportunities there are to help and give back – specifically as it relates to Hurricane Ike, and what we can do to help those in need."

Have a comment, critique or suggestion for Rockets.com? Contact Jason Friedman via email at: jasonf@rocketball.com