Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- The Utah Jazz and Mammoth promote 'Pay it Forward Day' on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
- Gov. Spencer Cox declares Dec. 9 as 'Pay it Forward Day' statewide.
- Participants can win team prizes by sharing acts of kindness with #PayItForwardUtah.
SALT LAKE CITY — "Pay it Forward Day" is recognized globally in late April, but the owners of the Utah Jazz and Mammoth are hoping to make it more of a Christmas season tradition.
Smith Entertainment Group is bringing its version of the concept back on Tuesday, Dec. 9, with Ryan and Ashley Smith — the owners of the sports franchises — as well as players, coaches, mascots and other personalities with the two franchises, traveling to stores across the Salt Lake Valley to help people pay for groceries, gas and other goods.
"Utah has always been a place where generosity comes naturally, and it's inspiring to watch our fans, players, partners and community members join together in that spirit," said Ashley Smith, in a statement.
The company will also cover all adoption fees for animals adopted from Best Friends Adoption Center in Salt Lake City that day, and deliver lunch to first responders and social workers in the area. They'll also collaborate with first responders to make "comfort kits" for people in need within their line of work.
It's similar to something they carried out last year, but this year's festivities will be more statewide, as Gov. Spencer Cox is declaring Dec. 9 as "Pay it Forward Day" in Utah. America First Credit Union, LiveView Technologies and University of Utah Health are among the companies pledging to volunteer in different ways that day.
Residents are also urged to carry out random acts of kindness and post them on either Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or X with the hashtag #PayItForwardUtah.Those who complete the task are entered into a raffle to potentially receive tickets, autographed items and other merchandise from the two teams.
"We're really excited about the ripple effects that had last year, and we received so much feedback from people saying, 'Hey, we want to be part of it,'" said Mike Maughan, an executive for Smith Entertainment Group. "The idea is that this can be an amazing day for all of Utah."
The teams debuted the Utah community version of the concept last year, and the concept gained support from players and fans alike. Being new to the state after the team relocated from Arizona, Mammoth players especially enjoyed learning about their new community. But fans also asked how they could keep the spirit going, Maughan explained to KSL.com.
It's not too surprising, given that Utah is often among the most charitable states in the nation. Utah was named the top state in volunteering and service, and second overall to only Wyoming in charity, WalletHub determined in its rankings released last month.
That led to the decision to expand the program statewide, along with incentives for kindness. "Paying it forward" can be as simple as paying for someone else's coffee, but doing something nice doesn't have to involve money, Maughan said. It can be writing a kind note to someone else, opening the door for someone else or checking in with a neighbor or friend.
More details about Smith Entertainment Group and other business events will be announced in the days leading up to the service day.
The goal, Maughan adds, is that this will be an annual holiday tradition in Utah for years to come.
"The point is there's a way that all of us can pay forward some element of kindness to people around us," he said. "Our hope is that this will absolutely become a tradition that the people of Utah will embrace. ... This is something for the whole state of Utah."
