Fatima Family Center Thanksgiving Featuring Retired Pro Basketball Players Fatima Family Center 6600 Lexington - Hough, Cleveland November 25, 2025
The Fatima Family Center serves Cleveland's Hough community by providing events, recreational and educational opportunities, and supportive services for youth, families, adults and seniors. A staple of the Hough community, (it's right across from historic League Park at 6600 Lexington) Fatima Family Center offers programs and services for all ages and all members of the community.
Fatima Director LaJean Ray
Originally established in 1973 as a pastoral counseling and outreach ministry of Our Lady of Fatima parish, Fatima Family Center prominently anchors the Hough community with a 26,000 square foot facility developed by Catholic Charities and dedicated in 2000. In 2002, Fatima was recognized by the Annie E. Casey Foundation as one of the top five family centers in the United States.
Director LaJean Ray
Among its many services for the community they hosted a Thanksgiving turkey and groceries giveaway on Tuesday November 25, 2025. Fatima Family Center Director LaJean Ray led the crew and volunteers and hundreds from the community were served.
In this short video, you can see volunteers working on the food bags and hams. Then retired pros Greg Bell, Manny Leaks, Brad Sellers and Bonnie Dove unloaded a truck full of turkeys for the community. Watch.
Knights of Columbus Gilmour Council 310 volunteers
What made the event extra special was the partnership with the Cleveland Chapter of the National Basketball Retired Players Association Everyone was excited to see the retired basketball stars helping out. And they weren't just there for photo opps or window dressing - they worked!
Jim Chones. LaJean Ray, Manny Leaks and Greg Bell (standing)
Greg Bell, Brad Sellers and Bonnie Dove
We spoke with several of the stars starting with Manny Leaks, VP of the Cleveland Chapter of the National Basketball Retired Players Association. (Jim Chones is president.) The 6'9" Manny Leaks played for East HS in Cleveland and then Niagara University before playing in the ABA (with Dr. J and other legends!) before his time in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers and Capital Bullets.
Manny spoke about the community activities that his group is involved in. Former NBA star Jim Chones is the current president of the chapter and other members include former stars such as Greg Bell, Lawrence Boston, Campy Russell, Brad Sellers, Austin Carr, Derick Polk and former WNBA star Bonnie Dove. He said that he received a message from God one night at 3AM that told him to "Love thy neighbor as thyself" and that became his personal philosophy. He turned 80 years old on November 27, 2025 and continues to follow that philosophy in the community. Watch the video.
We also spoke to WNBA Cleveland Rockers player Bonnie Dove. Bonnie Dove played her high school ball at Cleveland's John F. Kennedy High School and then in college at the University of Arizona. She went on to play for the Cleveland Rockers of the WNBA. The City of Cleveland named a park in her honor, Dove Park, near East 93rd Street. Watch.
Former NBA star and chapter president Jim Chones who told us about the National Basketball Retired Players Association. He credited his vice president, Manny Leaks, with getting the chapter established and connecting with the community to help the people. Watch.
Former Harlem Globetrotter Greg Bell played for Shaw High School in East Cleveland and has a number of honors culminating in his 2024 induction into the American Basketball Hall of Fame. He told us about the importance of giving back to the community. Greg has been sharing his basketball expertise with young people for decades at Fundamental Basketball Skills with Greg Bell (216-346-9116). He stresses the fundamentals of the game - dribbling, midrange shots and the like. With the return of Cleveland's WNBA franchise soon Greg said that there is a lot of interest from young girls as well. Watch.
Many know Brad Sellers as the mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio. But he is best known as a former NBA player for teams such as the Chicago Bulls where he was drafted number 9 in the first round of the 1986 NBA draft. Since the 2010-2011 NBA season he has also served as the postgame analyst for Cleveland Cavaliers radio broadcasts. He said it was important to give back and the former players try to have an effect on the communities. Watch.
Here are a few other images from the Fatima Family Center event.
Manny Leaks holding a trading card that a fan sent him
Lawrence Boston, Greg Bell and Brad Sellers
Jim Chones and Manny Leaks with KofC volunteers
Brad Sellers and KofC volunteers
Bags of food for the community
Brad Sellers and Greg Bell loading food
Some of the volunteers at the Our Lady of Fatima holiday giveaway
Greg Bell, Bonnie Dove, Jim Chones and Manny Leaks
The community recipients were very grateful to have such quality food for Thanksgiving and having former pro basketball players being involved really made it special. Several of the basketball stars are available for speaking engagements. Visit the Cleveland Speakers Bureau for details.
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