KLF is refurbishing basketball courts throughout the United States and the Caribbean. These courts will provide a safe place for children to play basketball and learn valuable lessons on and off the court.
Upcoming Project: Dominica KLF is now supporting the refurbishment of a basketball court on the island-nation of Dominica (Eastern Caribbean) in the rural village of Grand Fond with a population of between 750 to 900 people. Tiny as it is, the community there loves basketball and with high unemployment and increasing drug-use, the sport is a good way of keeping their kids focused on positive activities. They have a full-sized court but only one hoop with a broken back board, so the local Peace Corps volunteer reached out to KLF for help.
USA Courts
New Orleans: Hurricane Katrina took place almost five years ago, but the people living in the disaster area are still in need. When KLF's Executive Director visited the town last month, she was moved by the extent of the damage that had yet to be fixed in the aftermath of Katrina. After much scouting around, KLF identified Wisner Park and Bodenger Playground as refurbishment projects for 2010. KLF was happy to support the community-iniated projects that re-built their childrens' playgrounds. KLF also hopes to assist Wisner Park with fixing up their basketball court connected to the playground (above photo).
Completed court refurbishment project in Oakland, CA:
KLF partnered with Good Tidings Foundation to refurbish a public basketball court in Oakland, CA. With the approval of the City of Oakland, we selected the basketball court at William "Willie" Wilkins Memorial Park (formerly known as Elmhurst Plaza Park) on 98th St. and C St. Within ten days, the court was completed, and we re-opened the court with a dedication ceremony that included a free basketball clinic for neighborhood kids, hosted by KLF's Founder & NBA Veteran, Adonal Foyle. Oakland City Councilman Larry Reid, Audrey Jones (Director of Oakland Department of Parks and Recreation), and Melvin Landry (Youth Sports Supervisor for Department of Parks and Recreation) also attended. For the clinic, Adonal was joined by volunteer coaches Roy Byrd (former Harlem Globetrotter), Erika Ruiz (pointguard at St. Mary's College) and Marlon Harrison (a former scout for the Golden State Warriors). Watch KTOP's 15 minute video on the project below (produced by Shomari Smith & Jasmene Consuella Miranda).
The basketball court before KLF: the court floor was cracked and uneven, and the backboards and rims were dilapidated and rusty.
Oakland court refurbishment project in progress: we re-tarred the floor and replaced the old basketball backstops and backboards.
Completed project: welcome to the newly re-done basketball court at the William "Willie" Wilkins Park in Oakland, CA!
Note the beautiful banner designed by Brian Walker.
Court dedication ceremony: to celebrate the new court, we held a free basketball clinic for the kids in the neighborhood.
Caribbean Courts
KLF fixed up 5 public basketball courts in St. Vincent & the Grenadines as part of its 2009 Athletics & Academics Island Youth Camps. Kearton Hard Court (St. Vincent), Ashton Hard Court (Union Island) and Canouan Hard Court (Canouan) received new heavy-duty breakaway rims and nets, and the Arnos Vale Sporting Facility (St. Vincent) received two portable basketball systems. Furthermore KLF partnered with Sabrina Mitchell to give brand new extended portable basketball backstops with official size rectangular glass backboards and 2500I International Competition Goals to the Bequia Baskeball Association for the Port Elizabeth Hard Court (see picture).
Mayreau: The island of Mayreau has a beautiful new multi-purpose hard court, but no basketball posts! KLF Founder Adonal Foyle visited Mayreau in August, 2009 and pledged to send down two new portable systems to arrive in time for the Grenadines Basketball Tournament. KLF needed to find the right equipment that would stand up to heavy usage while being portable enough to move off the court when not in use, since the court is used for multiple sports. As of November 15th, Mayreau is now the proud owner of a pair of First Team heavy-duty portable basketball systems. We are thankful to Amerijet for covering the cost of shipping the equipment to St. Vincent & the Grenadines. We look forward to posting pictures of the systems in use, very soon.
Court Refurbishment
KLF is now supporting the refurbishment of a basketball court on the island-nation of Dominica (Eastern Caribbean) in the rural village of Grand Fond with a population of between 750 to 900 people. Tiny as it is, the community there loves basketball and with high unemployment and increasing drug-use, the sport is a good way of keeping their kids focused on positive activities. They have a full-sized court but only one hoop with a broken back board, so the local Peace Corps volunteer reached out to KLF for help.
Hurricane Katrina took place almost five years ago, but the people living in the disaster area are still in need. When KLF's Executive Director visited the town last month, she was moved by the extent of the damage that had yet to be fixed in the aftermath of Katrina. After much scouting around, KLF identified Wisner Park and Bodenger Playground as refurbishment projects for 2010. KLF was happy to support the community-iniated projects that re-built their childrens' playgrounds. KLF also hopes to assist Wisner Park with fixing up their basketball court connected to the playground (above photo).
