Also among the honorees are boxing and entertainment promoter, Butch Lewis, 98.7 KISS-FM Radio Co-hosts, James Mtume and Bob Pickett of the Open Line Sunday Morning Talk Show, Newark Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Marion A. Bolden, Robert Treat Hotel Owner, Miles Berger, mixed martial arts promoter, Felix Martinez, NJ ringside physician, Dr. Michael Kelly, and philanthropist, Thurman P. Simmons, Sr. Recipients of the prestigious awards are being honored for their dedication and contributions to youth, the community at large and the sports of boxing and martial arts.
Other invited guests include boxers Larry Holmes, Cory Spinks, Arturo Gatti, promoter Don King as well as other boxing celebrities and local dignitaries. HBO’s Harold Lederman, will be the guest speaker. As always, C.O.M.B.A.T.T. will give away dinner tickets to Newark and Irvington local youths to also enjoy the evening festivities.
C.O.M.B.A.T.T. is an acronym for Community Organization Making Better Alternatives Today for Tomorrow. The non-profit group promotes education, healthy physical development, and recreation activities for youth. They assist participants in improving self-concepts and social development, redirecting participants’ negative behaviors and deterring potential criminal/gang activities that often lead to detention/incarceration. The organization opened its doors to Newark youths in December 2002 and Irvington youths in January 2004.
“Six months ago, we expanded our scope of services to include other aspects of combative sports such as traditional and mixed martial arts. We offer physical fitness training, and various life skills workshops to local youth and adult residents”, said Larry Hazzard, Sr., founder of the organization. “Our major focus remains with our youth, but we now offer these additional services for nominal fees to the public at large to help cover the cost of our youth services,” he continued.
C.O.M.B.A.T.T. has moved its Newark training facility from the Tyrell Homes to the Newark Housing Authority’s brand new recreational facility, The Club House, on Irvine Turner Boulevard and Spruce Streets in Newark. The facility offers a full gym, exercise room, showers & locker rooms, classrooms, and dance and recording studios.
Chief Executive Officer, Rhonda Utley-Herring stated, “Cutbacks in funding have had a tremendously negative affect on us this year, and the competition for non profit funding is steadily increasing. This year the City of Newark has eliminated us from their roster of CDBG recipients, after five years of dedicated service to this community. Now, more than ever before, we are relying heavily on our fund raising efforts and private donations to maintain our existence. Our young people are counting on us to continue to provide much needed services to them and their families. We remain very thankful to the boxing and martial arts communities, and other concerned individual supporters who continue to provide private resources, financially, as well as physically by participating as mentors to our youth. We need them to survive,” she added.
A celebrity reception will begin at 5:30 pm and dinner will be served at 6:45 pm. All tickets must be purchased in advance for a donation of $80. Please call 973-297-1299 for more information.
