Members of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, along with some of the Laker Girls, will be in 'Ewa Beach today to dedicate the new Lakers Reading Room in the Hale Pono Boys & Girls Clubhouse.

But they won't be the only ones the young members of the club should be thanking.

Former Boys & Girls Club member Harry Morck, 43, donated about 10 hours of his time painting fresh coats of Laker purple and gold in the reading room.

Morck, a professional painter, said that as a 12-year-old, hanging out at the then-new Spalding Clubhouse in Honolulu 31 years ago helped steer him away from the more negative elements as he was growing up in nearby Kalakaua Housing.

"Living in the housing, we didn't have anything," Morck said. Taking part in the activities of the Boys & Girls Club, which prides itself as a "safe haven," gave him structure, he said.

The club's athletic director at the time, David Nakada, recalled that Morck only reluctantly paid the $1 annual membership fee because he otherwise would not have been able to join his friends in the gym playing basketball.

Nakada, now executive director for the Hawai'i chapter, said he did not realize the influence he had on Morck until he heard Morck talk years later about his learning experiences at the Spalding Clubhouse.

"It kind of shocked me," Nakada said, noting that it's a story he now passes on to the members of his staff.

Morck also donated his time to paint the Spalding Clubhouse Lakers Reading Room when the Lakers Foundation chose to put one there in 2005 as part of the NBA's Read To Achieve program.

The Lakers hold preseason camp in Hawai'i every other year and team officials have called the 50th State its second home.

Eugenia Chow, the Lakers' community relations director, said there are now nine Laker Rooms, a majority of which are in Boys & Girls Club facilities.

"They're designed to promote literacy and the joy of reading among kids, to help them develop a lifelong love of reading," Chow said.

The Lakers contributed $15,000 toward the Spalding reading room and are expected to donate the same amount in 'Ewa Beach today. The 'Ewa Beach reading room features a video projection machine to complement an existing big-screen TV, portraits of the Lakers in action and, of course, shelves of books.

Lakers star Kobe Bryant and four teammates are expected to be on hand for today's dedication, which is by invitation only and closed to the public.

GAME PROMOTIONS

Fans attending the Lakers-Warriors basketball exhibition games tonight and Thursday who bring a new children's book as a donation for the Lakers Reading Rooms in Honolulu and 'Ewa Beach will receive an official 2007-2008 Lakers pin, while supplies last.

Fans may also buy raffle tickets for a chance to win an autographed Lakers basketball or jersey; proceeds benefit the reading rooms.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.