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(Freeport News article by Barbara Walkin) KARON PINDER-JOHNSON, YMCA executive director and Kenny Jr., were are the gate receiving can goods as entrance fee, for Reach Out Ministry and the YMCA Family Fun Day in aid of Haiti Relief.

(Sports photos by ANDREW COAKLEY)

Saturday was a busy day for athletes competing the first Reach Out Ministry (ROM)/YMCA Family Fun Day fundraiser for Haiti relief effort.

Organizers of the event were excited over the participation and the community support, said Dudley Seide, president on ROM. “We had a good turn-out and I want to thank the Grand Bahama community for showing their support, but I want to especially thank the pastors for coming out and putting on an exciting game.”

The feature game of the event was between the Bahamian and Haitian pastors. There was much bragging going on at the announcement of the Saturday’s event.

Bishop Joseph Hall Sr., said that the game would be “one that the Grand Bahama community would not want to miss.” Hall also predicted that the Bahamian pastors would win this first meeting between the men of the cloth from different nations.

His predication turned out to be right on par. The Bahamian pastors defeated their opponents 41-34, with Bishop Sobig Kemp, former president of the Grand Bahama Christian Council named as the MVP of the game.

Kemp scored 10 “solid” points in the win. At the other end, Nelson Vilburn had 15 points for the Haitian pastors.

In other games on the court Hudson Estate defeated Central Zion 28-22; Kross Town won over the YMCA 28-25; the Ghetto Cutter defeated Central Zion 24-12 and the Ghetto Cutters back on the court won over Youth In Action 31-27.

The game between ROM All Stars and Tabernacle Boys went into double overtime before Tabernacle Boys took the 37-34 win.

Then the Haitian-Bahamian All Stars took the one-point win (60-59) over the Bahamian All Stars.

Basketball was not the only event at the Family Fun Day. Athletes also competed in track and field, powerlifting, ladies soccer and volleyball.

In track and field Cardwell Cooper and Chico Thompson claimed victory in the U13 100m, 200m and Sr. Male 100m respectively.

In powerlifting David Vilburn won in the senior boys division with a 400lbs lift.

On the field, in ladies soccer action, Mary’s All Stars took on Freeport High. The All Stars came out on top in this one 2-1. In volleyball action the Youth In Action (A) won over Youth In Action (B).

There was also a senior men’s game (no results up to press time) and former YMCA executive director Terry Goldsmith and his boxer, also conducted exhibition bouts.

It was a time of unity, said Seide. “Where people from every nation came together to assist in the relief effort for Haiti,” Seide added.

“And again I want to thank everyone that came out, competed and made donations to this wonderful effort,” Seide added.

Of course Seide is looking for a rematch between the Haitian and Bahamian pastors.

The YMCA 2008/09Soccer League, which began on November 29th is coming to an end this Saturday, February 28th with the Champsionship Games. Awards for winning teams will be given directly after each set of games.

Coaches and players are asked to be at the field on November 28th prior 10am. The League runs Saturdays from 10 am to 1pm.

Call the YMCA at 352-7074 for more information.

Four senior students from St. Bonaventure University near Olean, NY will be completing their first placement of student teaching in four schools on the Grand Bahama Island. Dave Dowd, Connor Dougherty, Laura McDowell, and Meredith Nappa will be living and teaching at local school for the next seven weeks.

In addition to working along side Bahamian teachers, Dowd, Dougherty, McDowell and Nappa will be running an after school program at the YMCA in Freeport. Area students are invited to join after school program which runs Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

During these times, students will begin their homework and play games with the St. Bonaventure student teachers.

According to Dowd, the program is off to a great start. So far, so good, said Dowd. We’ve had between 25 and 30 kids at the program all week. The kids generally finish their homework quickly and we move on to playing Duck, Duck, Goose, Red Rover, soccer, tag and other childrens classics.

Dougherty hopes to see the program expand during his seven-week stay on the Island. The more kids that take part in the program, the better, said Dougherty. We’d like everyone to take full advantage of this program which will allow us to build relationships with the kids for the time that we’re here.

Read the complete article with photos HERE

The YMCA basketball gym is a walk through history.

Walk into the gym, even as it is now, and you can almost hear the voices of the fans, the shouts of the coaches to players on the floor and the sound of the buzzer to start and end games.

There, the best-of-the-best Grand Bahamian ball players displayed their skill. It was at the YMCA basketball gym that up and coming players perfected their craft of basketball.

It was at the YMCA where players earned their nick-names, and it was there where fans shouted out those names from the bleachers in games that attracted entire families to the YMCA.

Read more by Andrew Coakley, The Freeport News

The YMCA Commercial League is back and is expected to be bigger and better.
The League has gone beyond just having teams that represent companies competing on the basketball court.

Now, the League has incorporated two new divisions – a church league and an open league.
“My intention and my goal is to expand the programme to bring in even more teams into the League,” said Terry Wildgoose, Activities Director at the YMCA.
“I’m taking it to where it ought to be.”

The League begins on June 27 and will run until the ending part of August. All games will be played at the Jack Hayward gym on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
The Open Division will allow all of the top players on the island to compete against each other without the stipulation of having to be a part of a company or even having to be a member of a church.

Read the full Freeport News article HERE