Thank you to the @celtics Shamrock Foundation for the honor and supporting the @truthonhealth - twitter.com/paulpierce34/s…
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) October 27, 2012

I posted some photos from the Shamrock Gala. in the post below.  The mission of the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation is to extend the reach of the Celtics into the community through programs that directly benefit children in need. To do this, the Foundation partners with New England-based non-profit organizations who provide vital services to youth. The Foundation offers funding and resources to help increase the collective impact in the community.

This year's gala helped the Boston Celtics raise more than $1 million for the Shamrock Foundation. The team's entire roster and coaching staff were present for Friday's event, which included a reception for guests to interact with the players and coaches, followed by a dinner and a formal introduction of this season's team.

This year's gala also honored Paul Pierce with the New England Baptist Hospital Community Champion Award for his 15 years of community involvement and service. Back in the 1960's, it was common for a player to spend their whole career with a team. But, in these days of max contracts and marketing, a player, especially a star player, who stays with the same team for their whole career is very rare. Paul Pierce is one of those rare players and his number will definitely hang in the rafters with the other Celtics legends.

From ESPH, here are some thoughts from Doc Rivers and Danny Ainge on Paul Pierce and the honor given him at the Gala for his 15 years of service in Boston.

"Well it tells you what the Celtics are," said Rivers. "When you look at the history of the Celtics, Tommy Heinsohn, a career Celtic, Bill Russell. I mean, it goes on and on. There are a lot of guys that start here and finish here, and I think it really has to do with the tradition of the Celtics."

Added president of basketball operations Danny Ainge: "I think there's some players that are special enough, like Paul, in a storied franchise like the Celtics that I think [he] is one of the best five players anyway. Maybe better, but one of the best five players, and maybe the best offensive player in Celtics history.

"And, because he's done it so consistently, and he's done it for such a long period of time, his durability is a talent in its own right. Paul plays with a lot of pain and a lot of injuries and he's overcome a lot, and carried a team when the team wasn't very good. He's a special player. It's been fun being with him."

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