LaRee established Little Heroes (Littleheroesfoundation.org) to offer assistance to a growing number of Russian orphans. The charity just finished its first project, renovation of the second floor of an old hospital in Lyubertsy, just outside Moscow. A few Russian doctors have come aboard to help, and LaRee has partnered up with a Utah company, Nature's Sunshine, in raising money and acquiring donated goods, including diapers, lotions, soap, clothing and blankets.

"You hold these babies in your arms and it brings tears to your eyes," said Travis. "My wife has really dug into this, and I believe we are helping."

With a nurse ratio of one nurse for each 10 children, LaRee Hansen's efforts to get people to the orphanage to simply hold the babies is making a difference. The Russian orphans need people to just walk them around, talk to them, give them some warm, human contact and love.

"That contact is important. These early months of their lives is when they develop and feel love and nurture. Their entire future may be determined on how they are loved and accepted," said Travis.

"The Russian people are good people. But many have had hard lives. They've been through a lot with the change in their nation. There has been a lot of poverty and drinking, and people have been declared unfit to be parents, and these children are cast off in these orphanages. It's sad."

In 1997, a UNICEF report declared 600,000 Russian children were lacking parental care and nearly 350,000 lived in state-run institutions, many abandoned or taken away from parents who were criminals, addicts or mentally incapable of parenting.

"Every culture is different," said Hansen. "They are great people. Ten years ago, the economy was in a recession, banks were broke, people were losing everything they had. Now the economy is booming and doing very well. ... They've been through much with the Cold War and the fall of communism in the '90s," said Travis.

When LaRee first visited the hospital in Lyubertsy, she saw dilapidated rooms with broken doors and windows, wires hanging from the ceilings and toilet facilities that were simply substandard.

Fixing up an entire floor took a big effort, but it was finished this winter.

The work by the Hansen family with these charitable causes hasn't gone unnoticed by the Russians — perhaps one reason why Putin may have sped up paperwork to make life easier for Travis and his family in the country — and to help Russian basketball.

Hansen could still be playing here in the States. His agent could have gotten him on a roster somewhere, probably sitting the bench. But the money in Russia is bankable, the life is lofty and, for the Hansen family, they are making a difference in a land that is counting on them.

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E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com