Dreams became reality at Oak Ridge Elementary School in Oak Park on Wednesday. What was once a faded classroom now is a colorful Reading and Learning Center, complete with state-of-the-art computer workstations, games, books and new comfortable furniture.

The Oak Ridge Elementary Reading and Learning Center is the grand prize of the WNBA�s Court of Dreams Contest, which is an annual WNBA promotional campaign involving community groups from each of the 13 WNBA team markets competing to sell the most tickets for local WNBA games through the program period. Winners of the contest have the opportunity to select one of three prizes: a WNBA-identified basketball court, a Reading and Learning center or $10,000 cash. Oak Ridge Elementary School has chosen to receive a Reading and Learning Center.

Sacramento Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, in partnership with the Sacramento Monarchs, Wells Fargo and Oak Ridge Elementary won the contest by selling more than 6,000 tickets to a Monarchs game last summer.

The unveiling took place in front of the Reading & Learning Center, as Monarchs center Yolanda Griffith, former Monarchs guard Ruthie Bolton and Head Coach Jenny Boucek cut the ribbon to open the center.

�This is the happiest moment I�ve had as principal of Oak Ridge,� said Steve Lewis, the school�s principal. �Oak Ridge hasn�t been given opportunities like this in a long time. I�m excited for the community and for our school, and I�m confident that it will make a huge difference in the lives of these kids.�

Northern California area Rotary Clubs, local Kiwanis Clubs and the Sacramento Monarchs won an official regulation WNBA basketball court for the YMCA of Greater Sacramento upon winning the 2006 WNBA �Court of Dreams� promotion. In 2005, though the Washington Mystics won the national promotion by two tickets, Joe and Gavin Maloof stepped up to show their appreciation to the Rotary and Kiwanis group�s exceptional effort and results by building a new basketball court for the Children's Receiving Home, a shelter for abused and neglected children in Sacramento County.

�Even though Rotary and Kiwanis� combined efforts to win the contest fell short in 2005, Joe and Gavin Maloof appreciated our efforts, and saw the need, and generously built a basketball court for the Sacramento Children�s Receiving Home,� said Doug Kraft, Co-Chair, Sacramento Court of Dreams, Rotary District 5180.�

�The partnership between local Kiwanis Clubs, Northern California area Rotary Clubs and the Sacramento Monarchs has proven successful once again,� said Gary Christensen, Kiwanis New Build Project Manager and Co-Chair, Sacramento Court of Dreams. �We have earned two basketball courts and a Reading and Learning center for the Sacramento community, brought thousands of deserving children and their families to a Sacramento Monarchs game through donated tickets and raised thousands of dollars for the Kiwanis Family House and Polio Plus.�

Felix Fernandez, Wells Fargo Northern California Regional President added, "Wells Fargo is pleased to be the presenting partner of the Court of Dreams. We are proud to align ourselves with great organizations that share a similar community vision such as Kiwanis, Rotary and the Monarchs as we are only as good as the communities we serve.�

While Griffith played checkers with some of the students, Bolton worked on the new computers with other children, and coach Boucek sat on the new bean-bag chairs and read to kids.

�When you�re blessed with the opportunity to make the community a better place, that�s really what it�s all about,� said Jenny Boucek, head coach for the Sacramento Monarchs. �That�s what the WNBA is all about, that�s what the Monarchs are all about, and that�s what the Maloofs are all about.�

del.icio.us