Citizens in Northern California hope to put the fires that have swept through upwards of 221,000 acres, and devastated residential neighborhoods out by the holidays.
In response, Ronnie Lott told Murph & Mac on Friday morning that all the proceeds from his annual 555 California Street All Star Holiday Culinary Kickoff will go to help ‘the people in the North Bay.’
“I was listening to [general manager John] Lynch and he said, ‘it’s times like this when you find out who you are. When you find out what kind of players you have and find out what time of people that you have.’ I think that’s kind of the same thing he’s looking for and the same thing we’re looking for now,” Lott said. “You want people to play beyond themselves and I think you’re going to find a lot of people who will do that.”
Normally, the proceeds from this event go to Lott’s nonprofit organization, All Stars Helping Kids, which he founded in 1989. Yet, given the devastation caused by the fires, Lott decided the money should go towards helping those people affected by the wildfires.
“A lot things in life, you pivot because you have to pivot,” Lott said. “We’ve been fortunate enough to have the blessings to have a lot of people support us over the years. Again, the calling is around that community and all our proceeds and everything that is going to happen with that event is going to the North Bay. We’re excited, I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for people to participate. For people to come and spend time with us. We’re jacked up.”
Since 2007, The 555 California Street Tree Lighting Celebration takes place in the heart of San Francisco and is one of the city’s most renowned holiday events. For more information, visit www.555treelighting.com and donate at allstarshelpingkids.org.
“Don’t sit on the sideline,” Lott said. “Get in the game and participate.”
To listen to the full interview check out the podcast below, and start from the beginning for Lott on the Northern California fires.