$2M pledged for hurricane relief

Miami Heat owner Micky Arison, in conjunction with Carnival Corporation and the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation, have pledged a minimum of $2 million to relief and rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast region in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

Carnival Cruise Line and Carnival Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Carnival Corporation, are each donating $500,000 to Harvey disaster relief efforts, for a total donation of $1 million from the company. Micky Arison, who is Carnival Corporation chairman, and his wife Madeleine are matching the corporation’s commitment with a $1 million donation from their foundation.

In addition, guests sailing on certain Carnival Cruise Line cruises will have the option to make a donation.

“Our hearts go out to all those who have been impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath, and all of us throughout the Carnival Corporation family feel a responsibility to do our part in supporting relief and rebuilding efforts in a region that we call home and where so many of our guests and business partners live and work,” Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said in a statement.

The donations will be used on recovery efforts and emergency supplies for the most affected families in the region.

Strong start

Heat guard Goran Dragic scored 30 points in Slovenia’s opening 90-81 victory over Poland on Thursday in the EuroBasket tournament in Finland.

Dragic, 31, who announced last week this would be his final international competition, eclipsed his previous scoring high of 28 with the Slovenian national team.