Athletic programs expanding; local churches urged to start teams and join leagues  

By Cheryl Scott
Bulletin Staff Writer

The Salvation Army Compton Corps Community Center will soon open its newly refurbished gymnasium, which will allow the expansion of its youth athletic programs.

We will have a first-class facility for first-class people,” said Capt. Martin Ross, director of the facility. “We are very happy to be able to do our part for the city’s ‘rebirth of Compton’ effort. We hope the community will take advantage of our new gymnasium and our basketball and soccer programs.”

The 30-year-old gym had been in disrepair for several years.

“When we first opened, we had very active youth athletic programs,” Chris Bates, sports outreach director at the center, told the Bulletin. “But the program had faltered and the gym began to need work. We decided last year to revitalize our athletic program, and we knew we had to make improvements to the gym.”

Over the years the gymnasium had taken on a “gloomy feeling,” Bates said. The lighting was antiquated and the skylights had become stained. The ceiling, which was made of suspended tiles, was in poor condition.

“During soccer games the ball often knocked down or broke tiles, and some were missing. There were also broken tiles still hanging from the ceiling,” Bates continued. “Everything was looking very old and shabby.”

Planning for the $200,000 refurbishment project began in early 2008. The job will be finished by mid-March. A grand opening celebration open to the community has been set for March 19 at 6 p.m.

In the meantime, Bates is spearheading an effort to increase enrollment in the soccer and basketball leagues, encouraging local churches to start a team and join in the fun.

Funding for the project came primarily from large grants from the Shaun Livingston and LA 84 foundations. The Pacific Floor Company, which laid the new maple parquet floor, donated the artwork for the project.

“The floor is the same design used by the Lakers, the Clippers and the Chicago Bulls,” Bates said. “It’s a professional quality floor, and it not only gives the gym a very elegant look — it is a terrific surface to play on.”

Ross noted that the Shaun Livingston Foundation contribution played a major role in getting LA84 to jump onboard.

Dear Friends,

For decades, The Salvation Army’s Compton Corps has been a mainstay of the community and represented a safe place for learning and nurturing for neighborhood youth. To help ensure this oasis of calm for families in the heart of Compton lives on for future generations, the Compton Corps has undergone an exciting makeover.  In celebration of this momentous milestone, we invite you to join us on March 19, 6 p.m., at The Salvation Army’s Compton Community Center for a dedication ceremony and press conference.

Thousands of families are assisted here via The Salvation Army’s Compton Corps’ Food Pantry, Love Kitchen, utility assistance, and holiday food basket programs to name just a few. Under the leadership of Captains Martin and Tory Ross, the Center has become a focal point where the dream of “Birthing a New Compton” are now within reach.

One of the cornerstone services supplied by this remarkable Center has been its gymnasium and workout facility. For too long, this venerable but tired structure has hosted a myriad of basketball and indoor soccer leagues…But the hours of play took a toll on the linoleum surface and the dim lighting prevented the gym from reaching its full potential. Now, thanks to the financial assistance of LA84 and the Shaun Livingston Foundations, the gym sports a state-of-the-art NBA grade wooden floor and skylights and improved lighting, making it truly a bright spot for Compton.

To celebrate the rebirth of the gym, which in turn celebrates the Compton Corps commitment to its community and its belief in the future of the city of Compton, The Salvation Army would be honored with your presence. Besides the ribbon cutting ceremony there will be an opportunity for you to address the media and other dignitaries and guests in attendance.

What:  Dedication of Compton Corps Community Center Gymnasium

Where: The Salvation Army’s Compton Corps and Community Center

736 E. Compton Blvd. Compton, CA. 90224

When: March 19, 6:00 pm

Please  RSVP to me by March 5, 2009 so we may help facilitate your visit and provide you with additional details. http://tsacompton.eventbrite.com/

Sincerely,

Why do you wear a watch?

To create, and also to tell the time of course…
Let us be more with our time!
The world time clock ticks for everyone…
For its function…
Wearing a watch enables you to appreciate its esthetic qualities, as well as its functions and technical reliability...
Wearing a watch allows me to manage our time better…
Without any doubt receiving my first watch always let me ahead of my time…
A watch is the ultimate necessity and accessory…
Reading the time on the watch, while of course useful, is many times less important than the pleasure one feels knowing they are using their time wisely and the pleasure one feels gazing at it…
Timepieces are precious and worth collecting like art, they should be treated and respected as such and will provide you years of enjoyment.

“WATCHES FOR TIME DRIVE”

The Shaun Livingston Foundation will launch its inaugural "Watches for Time Drive" June 1, 2009. 

The goal of the watch drive is to help youngsters with their time management skills – one of their most valuable resources.

“We are looking for new watches for preschoolers to high school youth,” Rachel Seward, directors of the SLF said.  “We want young people to be able to enjoy watches, to understand the true meaning of how to measure their time and to understand that time is and elusive thing.”

We are alarmed by young generations who do not spend their time wisely and who are easily led astray.  The “Watches Campaign” will empower youngsters to use their time wisely. 

WATCH FOR MORE DETAILS 

Foundation Message:  Promoting Education, Health and Wellness to Our Communities

Involvement, support and promotion of gang intervention are critical to prevent gang violence.  Through love, through education, and through intervention lives can be saved…if we act now.  We believe with innovative resources, such as this film project, that address the risk factors underlying gang recruitment and gang involvements, and provide antigang strategies for high-risk youth a difference in lives can be made and are essential.

Gang intervention and prevention programs for high-risk youth are essential.  The Shaun Livingston Foundation is proud to support this program and film “Crips and Bloods: Made in America for high-risk youth. 

“Crips and Bloods: Made in America”

Gang Prevention Project

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Baron Davis (NBA Player) are grateful to have the opportunity to present a critical community education program for support from the Shaun Livingston Foundation. 

Baron Davis, has been working for the past couple of years as a producer of the documentary "Crips and Bloods: Made in America" directed by Stacy Peralta (Dogtown, Z Boys, and Riding Giants) and narrated by Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker.  Despite the film's roots in LA, this documentary speaks to the issues of gangs, drugs and violence that have been continually plaguing the inner-cities across America.

The film is currently on the shortlist for the 2009 Oscars and will be opening in New York (starting 23 January at the IFC Theatre) and Los Angeles (starting 6 February at the Laemmle Sunset 5).  In order to educate our youth on the history and dangers of gang violence the SLF is proud participate and to bring teens, youth, young adults, parents and their educators to this education program. 

As a foundation dedicated to community issues we believe our support will help raise awareness, and help put a stop to gang violence in America.

The following is additional crucial information about this film and project.

Website- http://www.cripsandbloodsmovie.com/

Movie Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7tQzpcRrvE

Background

Baron Davis of the Los Angeles Clippers is a passionate community advocate. He is a native of Los Angeles and grew up in South Central LA. He became a producer on the gang documentary and his goals of the film are to create awareness about the history of gangs and the current problems in our society created by gang violence. The films hopes to inspire and engage people to be a part of the solution to help stop the continuing gang-related incidents within the inner-city communities, not just in Los Angeles, but all across America.

Need

Baron Davis has asked many of his NBA friends to support this project and film in New York or Los Angeles so that at-risk youth can come and watch the film free of charge, as they would not otherwise be able to see the film. With the NBA player’s involvement, this will create even more awareness for the film and hopefully secure screenings in other markets outside of LA and New York.

Our congratulations and thank to everyone for their commitment and dedication to making and serving the needs of this project...