The Commitment Tree
Fittingly, for the past six years the start of the holiday season for LeBron and the Foundation has coincided with the Akron Children’s Hospital Holiday Tree Festival. Like the neighborhood oak tree, LeBron and the Foundation owes their health and prosperity to a deep network of strong and bountiful roots. Some roots are partners. They provide resources, people, and passion. Others are promises. Together, partnerships and promises form a near indestructible bond. Though frequently operating underground and unseen, these roots are our lifeblood.
This year’s tree, "Commitment," is a beaming statue that pays homage to those roots. Vibrant, powerful, and strong, the Commitment tree is made of over 3,500 I Promise bands - the same bands LeBron wears in every single game he plays, and the same bands his partners, fans, supporters, and kids wear every day. But these are much more than just rubber wristbands.
The I Promise bands symbolize LeBron’s commitment to his kids in Akron and in turn, their commitment to staying in school, working hard, and chasing their dreams. The colorful Commitment tree represents LeBron’s commitment to the community that raised him as he works to create a better, brighter future for families and students across Akron.
As we open the holiday season and turn the page past 2017, we pause and give thanks for the thousands of partnerships and promises that make our program thrive. We are family.
