Former world heavyweight champ stages summer camp for children in western Jamaica
Published:Friday | June 21, 2024 | 12:07 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Four one-week summer camps will be staged by the Lennox Lewis League of Champions Foundation at Hopewell Sports and Community Centre in Hanover.
Lewis, the former world heavyweight boxing champion, will host the camps in July. They are aimed at making a difference in the lives of children between the ages of seven and 19 years, across western Jamaica,.
Lewis spearheads the charitable organisation, and according to a brochure advertising the camps, the project is dedicated to inspiring the “next generation of champions, while it strives to nurture young people to strengthen their innate physical and mental ability, to develop a high level of academic prowess, discipline, self-esteem and confidence through the world of boxing”.
According to Violet Lewis, the Foundation’s administrator, all the camps – which are free to all attendees – will have specifications on the subject matter covered by the experienced team of coordinators, who will be assisting with the implementation of the day to day activities.
The 2024 camps are: July 1 to 5, a discovery camp for boys and girls ages seven to 11 years; July 8-13, a boxing camp for boys and girls ages nine to 19 years; July 14-20, a sports and activities camp for boys and girls ages nine to 19 years; while from July 22-26, a football activities camp for boys and girls ages nine to 19 years.
Activities at the camps will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, with food and refreshments provided for all the participants.
Registration has begun and is ongoing, with persons wishing to register their kids being able to do so through the League of Champions Instagram page locfoundation.org, or an online link at jamaica2024.lennoxlewis.com, or in person at the Hopewell Sports and Community Centre in the Orchard Housing Scheme, in Hopewell, Hanover, Mondays to Fridays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Addressing the launch, Violet said: “Community involvement is very important to us, and we want to have the kids to assist them. And if you as parents want to come and see what they are doing, you can volunteer and help us during the camps. There are so many ways you (as parents) can get involved, and assist us,” she shared, adding that children may attend more than one camp.
Lennox, who was present at the launch, shared that he formulated the series of summer camps based on his experiences as a youngster.
“I have realised that if kids have something to do during the summertime, that’s when they are happiest, and that’s when parents want them to stay out of trouble,” he stated.
“So I deem it as important for them to have some type of things for them to do, something that they have not done for a while, and boxing seems like the best thing for me (as a kid), because it also taught me discipline...,” he said.
Lewis says there will be a good combination of life skills which will be imparted at the various camps, which should be of immense benefit to all participants.