Lamont Gilbert received this award for exceptional commitment, service, creativity, cooperation, and leadership. It was stated that he actively participates on a board of a nonprofit organization heightening awareness about his nonprofit, and engaging other AAA employees to get involved.
The American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter recognized Lamont and Sheila Gilbert with a "Heroes Award" for their "Acts of Kindness and Philanthropy." Lamont and Sheila received the award for their creation of the Nicholas Colby Fund® in memory of their son – Nicholas – who passed away in 2006 and the thousands of personalized events & experiences they have provided to children, uplifting their spirits.
Among many activities, the Fund provides backpacks filled with toys, games, and other goodies to hospitalized children and care packages to their parents. They also host a luxury suite for sick children and their families at Oracle Arena in Oakland to enjoy events such as Golden State Warriors professional basketball, Disney on Ice, Sesame Street Live, and the World-famous Harlem Globetrotters.
By Lou Fancher
The influence of a piece of literature, whether it arrives in printed form, or on the many mobile screen devices now available, is undeniable. Founders of international humanitarian organizations, battered women's shelters, groundbreaking chefs and restaurateurs, professional athletes and artists, Silicon Valley startup entrepreneurs and a host of other people trace their origins to the pages of a novel, a collection of poetry, or a non-fiction narrative......
By Lou Fancher
Contra Costa Times
LAFAYETTE -- One day, seated in the Oracle Arena at a Golden State Warriors' basketball game, a 4-year-old boy showed his father a sore spot on his wrist. Soon thereafter, their world would change forever. The boy, Nicholas Colby Gilbert, would soon be diagnosed with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a vicious form of cancer that mostly strikes young children. He and his family -- parents Lamont and Sheila and Nicholas's older brothers Christopher, Timothy and Matthew -- began an epic battle with a disease whose rarity limits research dollars and whose cure remains hidden in the future.....
Help raise funds to benefit children with cancer by purchasing tickets to the Stonebrae Classic here in the Bay Area where it is more than just a professional golf tournament April 12-18, 2010. It is a community-wide celebration. From the Jerry Rice celebrity pro-am competition to the Junior Clinic, or the evening concert series, there is something for everyone.
Corinne, The Nicholas Colby Fund® harmonica player for our Harmonicas for Happiness experience, was presented with a certificate for The Prudential Spirit of Community Award. This took place at her school in Walnut Creek, California during a school assembly. Click the Prudential Spirit of Community Award for more information about the program.
The school's principal asked Corinne to say a few words about the harmonica program and Corinne developed a really sweet little speech about Nicholas and The Nicholas Colby Fund®. Read Corrine's acceptance speech:
“I had a friend in preschool named Nicholas Colby Gilbert. He got leukemia at the age of 4 or 5. When he was 6, he died. His parents started a non-profit foundation called The Nicholas Colby Fund, probably to get closer to him. What they do is go into the hospitals and see the kids with cancer. They give the kids what they always wanted, if they can. They are careful to make sure that they never make a promise that they might not be able to keep.
I decided that I wanted to join their foundation, so (along with The Nicholas Colby Fund) I started a program called Harmonicas for Happiness. What I do is I go in to the hospitals, and give each kid a harmonica. I teach them how to play, and show them a couple of songs. I do this because music has always lifted my spirits, and I know that sometimes these kids can get lonely or sad. So I thought that this might brighten their day.”
Patients as basketball stars: The 3rd Annual Nicholas Colby Fund® Basketball Clinic with the Golden State Warriors for patients from Bay Area children’s hospitals takes place on November 3, 2009 at the Warriors Practice Facility in downtown Oakland, CA.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 2, 2009
CONTACT:
Raymond Ridder (510) 986-5384
Dan Martinez (510) 986-2213
WARRIORS TO HOST THIRD ANNUAL NICHOLAS COLBY FUND BASKETBALL CLINIC
Assistant Coaches Stephen Silas & Rico Hines To Lead Clinic For 20 Young Cancer Patients
OAKLAND, CA – The Golden State Warriors are hosting the Third Annual Nicholas Colby Fund Basketball Clinic at the team’s Practice Facility in downtown Oakland on Tuesday, November 3, beginning at 6:00 p.m., the team announced today. The clinic, which will be led by Warriors’ assistant coach Stephen Silas and athletic development assistant Rico Hines, is being put on for 20 young cancer patients from Bay Area children’s hospitals and their adult companions.
The Nicholas Colby Fund has established trustworthy relationships with children's hospitals in the Bay Area to proactively develop and deliver personal experiences for young cancer patients and their families from around the world. In its fourth year, the Fund has now directly helped over 1,500 patients and their family members, creating uplifting experiences for them to have one more opportunity to smile. For more information on the Nicholas Colby Fund, click here
For more information on the Golden State Warriors, log onto www.warriors.com
Who:
Warriors coaches Stephen Silas & Rico Hines
20 young cancer patients and their adult companions
What:
Third Annual Nicholas Colby Fund Basketball Clinic
When:
Tuesday, November 3
6:00 p.m.
Where:
Warriors Practice Facility – Downtown Oakland
Contact:
Erika Smith – 510-295-7882
Details:
The Third Annual Nicholas Colby Fund Basketball Clinic, which will be led by Warriors’ assistant coach Stephen Silas and athletic development assistant Rico Hines, is being put on for 20 young cancer patients from Bay Area children’s hospitals and their adult companions.
Thanks to the extraordinary and generous spirit of Lamont and Sheila Gilbert and Gina Baker, hundreds of UCSF Children’s Hospital patients and their families have been treated to amazing and fun experiences through their Nicholas Colby Fund. The goal of the Nicholas Colby Fund is to provide children diagnosed with cancer, a degenerative condition or other life threatening illness a personal and uplifting experience so that they may have one more opportunity to smile. Lamont and Sheila named this fund in memory of their son, Nicholas Colby Gilbert, who passed away in 2006 from complications of lymphoblastic leukemia when he was just 6 ½, in order to share the love, strength and unmistakable energy of their son.
The Nicholas Colby Fund has been supporting the children and families at UCSF Children’s Hospital since January 2007 providing them with extraordinary and personal experiences that create wonderful and lasting memories. Our children and their families have been luxury box guests at events such as Golden State Warriors games, various Disney On Ice productions, San Francisco 49ers games, the Ringling Brothers Circus, Cirque du Soleil, San Francisco Ballet, the Lipizanner Stallions, professional bull riding, as well as basketball clinic participants and much, much more.
The Fund’s motto is Helping Children Be Children® and from the smiles on the faces of our patients and their families, they are fulfilling their mission beautifully!
For more information about all the wonderful ways the Nicholas Colby Fund helps throughout the Bay Area, please visit www.nicholascolbyfund.org.
Event: 22nd Annual National Philanthropy Day Awards Luncheon
Place: Hyatt Regency Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA
Date: November 19, 2008
Award: Commemorative Award
On November 19, 2008 at the 22nd Annual National Philanthropy Day awards luncheon in San Francisco, CA, Lamont & Sheila Gilbert received a commemorative award. It was stated that the award is recognition "for your creation and on-going commitment to the Nicholas Colby Fund® in loving memory of your son. By Helping Children Be Children® you have created thousands of lasting childhood memories that uplift the spirit of a child and bring smiles to the family of the child."
Remember the inaugural Nicholas Colby Fund® Basketball Clinic with the Golden State Warriors held on April 7, 2008 wherein patients from Children's Hospital Oakland, Stanford-Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, and UCSF-Children's Hospital were treated like basketball stars? And they got to interact with Warriors' coaches and special interactions with basketball star Monta Ellis and Warriors mascot Thunder.
The 2nd Nicholas Colby Fund® Basketball Clinic with the Golden State Warriors for children from these hospitals will take place on:
Date: November 6, 2008
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Event: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Light The Night
Place: Civic Park in Walnut Creek
Date/Time: Oct 11, 2008 at 6:30pm
Award: Inaugural Light The Night Inspiration Award
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society said, "The Nicholas Colby Fund® is receiving this award for all the wonderful work you do for the cause!"
Nicholas Colby Fund® 4th Quarter 2008
Event Schedule
Light The Night Civic Park
1375 Civic Drive
Walnut Creek
Saturday, October 11, 2008
5:00pm Registration, Check-in, Food, Entertainment, Booths Open
5:30pm Performances Begin
6:10pm Survivor Group Photo! Please meet at the Fun Photo Guys Tent.
6:20pm Remembrance Ceremony in the Remembrance Garden
6:30pm Presentation Begins
7:00pm Walk Begins (2-mile route: Start in Civic Park to the Iron Horse Trail and Thru Downtown Walnut Creek.)
8:30pm Event Concludes Evening Host - KGO AM 810 Radio Personality, Ed Baxtor Featuring Live Music by Brad Wolfe & The Moon Performances By California Academy of Performing Arts, Cutting Edge Martial Arts/Keeping Kids Safe and LIKHA-Pilipino Folk Ensemble!
On April 7, 2008, the Golden State Warriors hosted the inaugural "Nicholas Colby Fund Basketball Clinic" with coach Stephen Silas and Warriors guard Monta Ellis at the Warriors Practice Facility. This basketball clinic included patients from Stanford-Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital Oakland, and UCSF-Children's Hospital. Thunder (Warriors mascot) was also there to lend a helping hand to the participants. This NBA Cares, Warriors Foundation video clip was played during half-time of the Warriors April 8 game against the Sacramento Kings. (It does not include the verbal message that was announced about the Nicholas Colby Fund as the video began to play.)