A working break? That seems to be the case for Snack Friends Alyssa Valdez, Ella de Jesus, and Michele Gumabao, who will be taking time out for fans right in the middle of their yearend getaway.
Volleyball royalties Alyssa Valdez, Michele Gumabao, and Ella de Jesus aren’t in New York just to give themselves a much-needed treat. The three, known as the “Snack Friends” to their fans, are also set to give Pinoy fans in the Big Apple a big treat.
Aside from enjoying in The City That Never Sleeps, Valdez, Gumabao, and de Jesus are also set to grace a volleyball fans exhibition game at the Queens Gateway to Health Sciences Secondary School. The special event, as seen in Valdez’s Instagram Stories, is set for tomorrow, New York time (early morning of December 18 here in the Philippines).
The three athlete-celebrities left for New York nearly a week ago, and have since been enjoying the Big Apple’s sights, sounds, and, of course, food. All three have also been sharing their good times on their respective social media accounts, with Gumabao and de Jesus noticeably taking extra care of their still injured Snack Friend. Valdez previously injured her right knee on December 7 in Creamlines’ bronze-clinching win over the Chery Tiggo.
The Snack Friends, though, will not be the only ones attending said exhibition game. They will also be bringing along old friend Sasa Devanadera, herself a luminary of Philippine volleyball from the mid-2000s to her retirement in 2021. The 34-year-old volleybelle won three titles for the San Sebastian Lady Spikers and was, like Valdez, among the most feared spikers in the sport.
It is unclear if the four volleybelles will be there solely for a meet-and-greet or if Gumabao, de Jesus, and Devanadera will actually participate in the exhibition game. Regardless, the event is sure to be a treat for Pinoy volleyball fans in the area.