NBA star urges volunteerism in NC hometown

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — NBA star Chris Paul is returning to his North Carolina hometown to assemble care packages for American troops overseas.

It’s the fourth year Paul has used his “Winston-Salem Weekend” to stimulate city residents to volunteer to work on community projects.

Paul is asking people to help on Friday by assembling the military care packages and donating any of the items that would go in them. They include beef jerky and dried fruit, baby wipes and sunscreen, or magazines and AA batteries.

Paul attended Wake Forest University after graduating from West Forsyth High School.

His visit home includes a youth basketball clinic and gala honoring the late Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser on Saturday, then a community church service and social at Benton Convention Center on Sunday.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)