by Freeda Cathcart, President of GFWC Star Woman’s Club
On Saturday, February 4, excited children gathered at Boxfit’s new home at the Norwich Recreation Center to build a ring. Local contractor Roni Sutton brought her family, plans, and materials to make their dream a reality. Coach Latorie “Coach Torie” Woodberry brought the children from his program.
They started building at 10:00 in the morning and were done by 3:00 that afternoon. Sutton ordered pizza for them for lunch and they all enjoyed getting to know each other while they ate. The children had so much fun building the ring that they didn’t want to stop to eat.
Woodberry said, “It empowered the children to build it themselves.” After they were done, the children made comments about how they could build other things and talked about the projects that they would like to do.
When Woodberry started the program 3 years ago, he wanted to share his joy of boxing and exercising with others. But the program has turned into more of a calling for him, as he got to know the children in the program and how much they needed the physical outlet.
Children need to have a place to come and work out with people that care about them. During the time that his program didn’t have a facility, a thirteen-year-old that often came to the program died by suicide. This added to Woodberry’s determination to find a facility for his program. He said, “I didn’t understand how important this work was until that happened. Families need these programs.”
Often he and his wife, T’Ashley Saunders, wonder how they will find the support for a lease, insurance, and equipment. The program is free for children and adults pay $65 a month. They provide children with equipment. If they don’t get the funding they need then everyone would have to pay $65. That would be out of reach for the at-risk children they’re serving. Woodberry said, “We have to push forward. We must be doing the right thing because God keeps providing a way.”
Kysheem Hill was one of Woodberry’s first participants three years ago. He’s fifteen years old and goes to Patrick Henry Highschool. He liked to watch boxing and wanted to check it out. Since then he’s lost over fifty pounds and increased his self-control. He used to have anger problems and found out that working out helps with his mental health and stress from school. Hill said, “It frees my mind.”
Hill is excited about Boxfit having its own facility and building the ring. He said, “I love it. It’s our space to do what we want.” He feels lucky because he’s able to get rides to the program and then home. There are many who can’t. Hill lives in Lincoln Terrace which isn’t within walking distance of the program.
The program has helped Hill develop a sense of structure and is preparing him to be a future leader in the world. He wants to be like Ryan and Jordan Bell when he’s older. He has good memories of going to Apple Ridge Farm and participating in the Boys and Girls Club. He’s confident that “shooting is not the way.”
David Wilson has three children in the program. Two of them started two years ago and one this past year. Wilson isn’t a boxer but when his son, Julius, asked to do it, he thought it was worth a try. He’s worried about gun violence and wants the city to do more for the children. He’s worried about them shooting bullets up in the air and then coming back down. He’s not worried about his kids participating in gun violence. He believes that more activities for children will result in less crime.
Wilson said, “The coach is amazing. Taking kids off the street and giving them something to do.”
Boxfit is providing a valuable service to help at-risk children in Roanoke City. Rocky Winstead was employed by the Roanoke City Parks and Recreation in the 1960s when they had a boxing program for children. Winstead had a budget of about $38,000 a year for coaches and equipment. Today the value of $38,000 with inflation would be worth over $340,000. Boxfit needs $65,000 to cover their operating expenses for 18 months and an additional $60,000 for salaries to employ 2 full-time and 3 part-time positions.
Seeing Woodberry in action with the children inspired Sutton to donate her time, expertise, family, tools, and materials to build the ring. Recently Boxfit received a $500 grant to help purchase equipment.
People are invited to come to Boxfit’s Grand Opening on February 20 @ 1 pm to see the facility and program they’re creating at the Norwich Recreation Center, 2127 Buford Ave SW, Roanoke. Wilson is planning on bringing his food truck and bounce house. They are hoping that when people see the good work they are doing and how it’s positively impacting children that they will receive the funding they need to keep the program going.
