HPCUMC Mentors #20 MENTORING THROUGH YOUTH BASKETBALL IN Over-The-Rhine

A SLAM DUNK.

Kids in Over-the-Rhine don't always have the same positive outlets as kids in other parts of our City. Far from it. Often, organized school athletic activities don't begin until the 7th grade. That's way too late for kids looking for something to do. They'll find something else to do. And that "something" is not generally good. Fortunately, last year our friends at Nast Trinity United Methodist Church partnered with their neighbor, the Emanuel Community Center, to offer 4th - 6th graders a Saturday morning basketball program. Kids from Over-the-Rhine were coached by UC great Melvin Levitt (who can still jump out of the gym for local hoop fans who were wondering) and other volunteers with some hoops experience. This year's program begins on Saturday December 2 and runs through February. Sessions run from 10:00 to noon at the Emanuel Community Center (located on Race Street, next to Nast Trinity and just east of Music Hall and Washington Park.) Some members of our Church have used these Saturday morning sessions as an opportunity to integrate and introduce 4th - 6th grade kids from Hyde Park area schools to similar aged kids in OTR. The universal language of basketball is a wonderful vehicle for linking kids who's paths don't cross nearly enough. Some of these OTR kids have also participated in open gyms at our own Church through the years. If interested in learning about how we can use sports like basketball to mentor kids in our community or how you, your family or team can get involved, please contact Pastor Sherry Gale at Nast Trinity Community United Methodist Church (pastorsherry@fuse.net), Ed Berg at the Emanuel Community Center (bergie4@earthlink.net) or Kent Wellington at our Church (kwellington@graydon.com, 484-2812).