The boxers at Madkatz Boxing Club will be stepping into the ring to raise funds for their Three Round Heroes program which offers people in recovery a chance to try boxing.
Owner of the club, Geoff Lawrence has recruited more than 20 people to train and raise funds to box and fundraise for the outreach program that donates three months of lessons to people in recovery homes.
“We have some people from the program that have come in year-round to train as boxers who are now actually fighting on this show coming up … It did them so much good that they just want to see it keep running,” said Lawrence.
The backyard boxing club has evolved into a safe place for people facing personal challenges, Lawrence said that people end up learning more than just boxing.
“What an unlikely location to change people’s lives. This is about Kelowna’s community, strengthening itself and the hardest thing people (that are going to compete) find is not getting punched in the face, it’s raising the funds and they go through this transformation to help people they have never met,” he said.
Joseph Dube began boxing as part of the Three Round Heroes program has now boxed at Madkatz for almost a year. He has been sober and clean for 11 months and he has become a mentor to new members of the program.
“I really don’t think I would be the person I am right now if I hadn’t come to this gym and gained confidence in myself,” said Dube.
“What we are doing is we are out, reaching to people who are in recovery right so people trying to get off drugs and people who have been living a rough lifestyle. We are raising funds to give those people an opportunity to come somewhere and feel like they are cared about.”
After being asked to help fundraise three years ago, Sonya Barker hasn’t left the ring.
“It’s really important to raise money for charity and it’s such a cool way to do it and it’s such a great work out,” said Barker.
“I am literally putting my chin on the line for charity. I wanted to participate in this charity event, I went, and I don’t know anything about boxing. I didn’t know about fighting but I thought this is a really cool way to give back to my community. So I started training and just fell in love with the sport and I have actually been boxing for about three years now.”
Fight for the Community takes place this Saturday, July 6 at the Rutland Centennial Hall at 7 p.m. For tickets e-mail geoff@madkatz.ca or call 250-859-1397
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