WS Chronicle

Special to The Chronicle

Nine youth from the “Beating Up On Bad Habits” community center camp visited with HARRY Veterans on Thursday, June 25, at HARRY Veterans Community Outreach Services Inc., at Parkway Office Suites, 897 Peters Creek Parkway, Suite 102 in Winston-Salem.

The community center camp focuses on providing youth with structured activities that help them to learn how to transform aggressive behavior into positive, constructive and progressive life skills. The trainers/instructors at the camp train and teach the participants the proper boxing techniques and fighting skills. Youth who show progress in technique, skill and academics are selected to participate in boxing events.

The youth from the ages of 8 to 16 were provided lunch, shirts, gift certificates and the opportunity to hear stories from the veterans about their youth and experiences in the Armed Services. The veterans encouraged the youth to stay focused on their dreams of being productive members of the community and not allow peer pressure to distract them from being all they can and want to be. The veterans asked each youth what where their leisure and academic interest. Each youth was also offered the opportunity to be mentored/supported as they worked to achieve some of their goals.

At the conclusion of the camp, HARRY Veterans will visit the camp site, inside the boxing community center at 2500 Old Lexington Road in the Waughtown section of Winston-Salem, and identify those who have made extraordinary progress and present them with “Outstanding Achievement” awards and gifts.

Ciat Shabazz, founder/executive director of HARRY, said: “I’m very happy that the youth had the opportunity to visit with the veterans that had/have similar interests of the youth, such as boxing, auto mechanics, engineering, community service, soccer, basketball, baseball and football. The veterans were thrilled to share and had a sense of pride about continuing to serve … now in their own community”.