On Saturday, September 21st, My Brother’s Keeper New Rochelle is hosting its first Books & Basketball event at Lincoln Park from 1 to 4 pm at the outside basketball courts on Lincoln and Prince streets. New Rochelle boys and girls in grades three through eight are invited to participate in the clinics and tutorials offered by area coaches and older students. Each participant will receive a free book from Scholastic to start the school year off and a drawstring bag designed by BA Lifesport while supplies last. Free snacks and prizes will be available as well.
“Since the beginning of MBKNewRo, we have always placed a premium on making our literacy efforts cool and fun,” notes Councilman Jared Rice, who is the Chair of MBKNewRo. “This Books and Basketball event does just that -- it incorporates the love of sports with a focus on reading.”
MBKNewRo is joined by numerous community partners for this event, including the New Rochelle Parks & Rec Department, New Rochelle Youth Bureau, New Rochelle Basketball Association, Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle and the New Rochelle YMCA. Lincoln Towers HDFC is the Sponsor of the event.
“I am extremely grateful for the participation of our many community partners and for the support of Lincoln Towers HDFC for making this event a reality,” says Rice.
“The Lincoln Towers HDFC is proud to be a continued supporter of MBKNewRo,” notes spokesperson Kenneth Plummer. “We understand that reading comprehension is one of the foundations of all learning. It’s the best of both worlds when creative events such as Books & Basketball incorporate learning through active lifestyle activities.”
Last year, the Lincoln Park basketball courts received a whole new colorful look thanks to a collaboration among the New Rochelle Parks and Rec Department, the New Rochelle Basketball Association and Project Backboard. Westchester-based Oval Tennis refurbished and striped the court and artist Scott Albrecht created the design.
“The infusion of art into our storied basketball courts at Lincoln Park is part of an ambitious $10 million revitalization of the Lincoln Avenue Corridor,” notes Rice.
In April 2015, New Rochelle became the first community in Westchester to implement President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative, which is designed to lift all children and young adults, particularly boys and young men of color. Today more than 250 cities and towns across the country have joined the My Brother’s Keeper initiative, with the hope of closing opportunity gaps for babies, children and young adults from birth to age 24.
My Brother’s Keeper New Rochelle (MBKNewRo) is a unique partnership between the City of New Rochelle and the School District and is supported by more than 120 community partners and 100 volunteers. MBKNewRo has launched or implemented more than 35 events, programs and activities to help all students in New Rochelle, particularly boys and young men of color, make progress in all six of the Milestones outlined in this cradle-to-career initiative.
To learn more about MBKNewRo, please visit its website at mbknewro.com or check out the organization’s posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To volunteer or donate, please write to info@mbknewro.com