Regardless of how one feels about LeBron James in total, he’s always been remarkably generous with local charities in general, particularly in his hometown of Akron. Now he’s taking a more specific charitable step to leave a legacy at one of the seminal spots along his remarkable journey.
LeBron James is donating $1 million to his alma mater to fund a major gym refurbishment project — Getty
As reported by the Akron Beacon-Journal and a variety of other sources, James is donating $1 million to his alma mater, Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St. Mary’s School, to fund the school’s long needed renovation of its gym.
The renovations to the SVSM gymnasium will include a new playing surface, improvements to both home and visiting locker rooms and vastly upgraded bleachers. The Beacon Journal reported that lighting and heating and cooling systems would also be upgraded as part of the large-scale capital project.
As for the role James will play with the re-design, the superstar took time out from his playoff preparations to sound a note of excitement about the plans for his former school’s gym and athletic future.
“I’m a hands-on guy and this is going to be more hands-on because it’s something that means a lot to me,” James told the Beacon-Journal. “I’ll try to be hands on with Coach Dru, with the school, with the floor, the locker rooms, the bleachers. … I have a good sense of what stadiums or arenas or schools or gyms should look like.”
While the changes slated for the 54-year-old gym are voluminous, they are also expected to be completed by the beginning of the 2013-14 basketball season, ensuring that SVSM can field a true home court advantage as it returns a loaded roster for another run at a state title.
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