- Honorees Include Basketball Legend Allan Houston and Local Leaders John Sjoberg & Brenda Garton -
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. - The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and The Rotary Club of Springfield have announced the honorees for the Westfield Bank 2024 Basketball Hall of Fame Rotary ‘Service Above Self’ Luncheon, taking place Thursday, December 12, on Center Court of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame at noon. Tickets to the event are available to purchase at $90 each and sponsorship opportunities for the luncheon are still available. For more information on sponsorships or to purchase tickets to the luncheon, contact Chelsea Johnson at 413-231-5513 or [email protected].
This year’s honorees are well-known local residents John Sjoberg & Brenda Garton Sjoberg. John is the President and CEO of NEBM, a regional provider and servicer of office business machines, and Brenda is a Communications Professor at Western New England University and former TV News personality. The National Honoree is Allan Houston, former New York Knick and founder of the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation.
John and Brenda’s community involvement is vast and includes co-chairing the Jingle Bell Run to support the Special Olympics and the Gift of Light Ceremony at Mercy Medical Center, of which John was past board chairman. They have also been directly involved with the Ronald McDonald House, Sisters of Providence, Link to Libraries, The Spirit of Springfield, of which John is currently the chairman of the board, and many other organizations. Allan Houston and his foundation promote youth mentoring, responsible fatherhood, with a focus on entrepreneurship and career development. Houston has also developed the Allan Houston Mentoring Initiative and “Father Knows Best” basketball retreats through his foundation.
“Many notable individuals from the Western MA community and the sports world have been recognized at The Basketball Hall of Fame ‘Service Above Self’ Luncheons throughout the years,” said Frank Colaccino, CEO, The Colvest Group, and Chairperson of the Basketball Hall of Fame/Rotary Service Above Self Award Luncheon Committee. “Our honorees have generously served our communities with heartfelt passion without expectation of personal recognition."
“The Rotary International Club of Springfield is pleased to celebrate and honor the tireless dedication of John Sjoberg, Brenda Garton, and Allan Houston,” said Oscar Mena De Leon, the President of the Springfield Rotary Club. “Rotary believes that ‘We are Better Together’ The Rotary Club of Springfield’s motto has been service-above-self for the last 110 years. The remarkable leadership that these honorees continually exhibit makes a significant impact on the communities they serve with absolute passion. This recognition also underscores the saying: ‘If not us, then who?’ Please join us in honoring them for their service!”
Previous ‘Service Above Self’ Honorees
2023: NBA Cares, Dr. Mark Keroack
2022: The V Foundation, Judy Matt, Jack Toner
2021: Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings, The Dennis Group
2019: Hall of Famer Bob & Chris Hurley, Western MA Jimmy Fund Golf Committee
2018: Hall of Famer John Calipari, Jeb Balise
2017: Jack & Colette Dill, Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman
2016: Hall of Famer Spencer Haywood, Susan J. Kaplan
2015: Mike Glenn, Henry Thomas
2014: Bob Delaney, Bob Perry, York Mayo
2013: Vinny Del Negro, Paul & Diana Doherty
2012: Hall of Famer Jim Calhoun, The D’Amour Family
2011: Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo, Charles Ryan
2010: Hall of Famer Bob Lanier, Dan Roulier (Inaugural Year)
About Rotary International
The Rotary International Club of Springfield is a service club that provides grants and volunteers to Springfield charities and service programs. International service projects include the Polio Plus program to eradicate polio and clean water in Cambodia. The club has partnered recently with Community Garden, Friends of the Homeless, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity, Connecticut River Conservancy, and Dress for Success on local service projects. The Club is looking to serve as a catalyst for local businesses to serve its communities’ needs and Rotary’s Areas of Focus. We welcome corporate as well as individual memberships. Luncheon meetings are held twice a month on The First and Third Thursdays at The Student Prince Restaurant. Go to springfieldmarotary.org for more information.
About the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level—men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches, and contributors—both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 475 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits, and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com and follow @hoophall.