The Bulls hosted their 17th annual Thanksgiving Dinner on Sunday at the Pacific Garden Mission. Several members of the organization, coaching staff, and players wearing red “Bulls” aprons and clear plastic gloves, scattered throughout the large cafeteria space to serve the community a warm Thanksgiving meal.
Coach Jim Boylen helped carve one of the four turkeys in the ceremonial turkey carving, while Will Perdue looked like he was vying for his fifth NBA Championship as he balanced almost 10 plates on two trays. Perdue then joyfully shuffled through the room with his wife, assisting his game by handing off plates to the seated guests. And Thad Young brought his two sons, Thad Jr. and Taylor, to help him hand out food.
Aside from Young, among the eight or so players serving at the event was the recently healthy Chandler Hutchison, who was impressed by the Bulls’ commitment to the community through the annual event, and grateful to be a part of it.
“The fact that they’ve (The Bulls) done it for 17 years speaks so much to the dedication that they have,” Hutchison said. “I mean, just seeing the look on their face when you’re handing them out food and they're like, ‘Those are actually the people you know that are playing and they're sitting here, helping us out, taking time out of their day.' It makes me feel good inside to be able to do that.”
Hutchison saw the event as a small way that he was able to show love to others.
“It just takes an hour, maybe two hours out of our day, but to them it could mean a lot," he said.
Also present at the event, was Tomáš Satoranský, who is new to the idea of celebrating Thanksgiving.
NBA
“First of all, I come from Europe, so I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving that much,” Satoranský said. “But it was amazing to see how much good stuff they’re making and how much work is behind it, to serve such great food like that.”
Satoranský is in for a surprise when the Bulls celebrate Thanksgiving on the road in Portland. The Bulls haven’t given him much insight into what it will entail, other than that “the Chicago Bulls always celebrate it big time." A team that makes sure his first Thanksgiving celebration is one to remember, among other things, gives Satoranský a lot to be grateful for this season.
“I’m thankful for being here, being with the team and my new teammates, belonging in a new family, as well as I have a new baby born who's nine months old — that’s what comes to my mind now," he said.
Hutchison shared several reasons he is thankful to the Bulls’ organization this Thanksgiving, starting with the fact that they drafted him 22nd overall in 2018.
“I mean really, they drafted me,“ he said. “So, let’s start there. I’m thankful to be in this situation and playing with and meeting people throughout the organization and on my team, who care about me, people that I am going to be spending a lot of time with — just a good all-around situation."
Hutchison was asked what he brings to the Thanksgiving “table,” so to speak, or Bulls organization.
“I just try to be someone that’s light-hearted and always kind of in a good mood, bringing energy," he said. "Someone who’s just going to show up, work hard, and not just do what’s required, but do extra. For me, that’s something that I feel like I bring to the table.”
Pacific Garden Mission is the oldest, continuously-operating rescue mission in the country, and has been a refuge for the Chicago community since 1877.
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