The Portland Trail Blazers are in Central Oregon. La Pine is the first stop on their 9th annual Rip City Rally.
The team visited La Pine Elementary, engaging with the students and hosting a community fair Monday.
“We don’t get this a lot around here, and it’s really cool to see,” one La Pine resident said.
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The fair included games, merch, and the Blazers only NBA Championship trophy.
“It’s amazing they have this kind of atmosphere for the kids,” said Amber Stilwell. “The kids came home from school excited about getting to meet all the mascots.”
La Pine is the first and only Central Oregon location in this year’s rally. It’s an event the Trail Blazers use to cement their identity as “Oregon’s team.”
“Some folks we met on our trip have never been to Portland or to a Trail Blazers game,” Radio Announcer Travis Demers said. “This is our opportunity to bring the Trail Blazers to them.”
The fair finishes the Blazers Monday, which started at La Pine Elementary for a school assembly and P.E. activities to get the students moving.
“We know you’re Blazers fans, and we’re thinking of you,” Trailblazers Host Brooke Olzendam said. “We love coming to parts of the state we’ve never been to before.”
The Blazers continue south to Lakeview on Tuesday, with other dates in Klamath Falls, Medford and Cottage Grove later in the week.
