Final bell coming for Ringside For Youth

Back in 1995, Steve Gallant took a calculated gamble, hoping to help out disadvantaged youth in Ottawa with a novel fundraising idea.

Gallant, former director of the Ottawa Police Youth Centre, thought maybe, just maybe, an annual upscale https://www.foekjedillema.nl boxing night could raise canada goose outlet new york city some goose canada goose coats on sale outlet canada well needed funds for the Ottawa Boys and Girls Club.

The canada goose outlet sale idea was to bring in a boxing celebrity as a showcase for a night of amateur boxing matches. A gourmet meal and a headline musical act was also part of the deal.

It has exceeded his wildest expectations.

But uk canada goose outlet after 25 years canada goose outlet uk and more than $3.5 million in fundraising, Ringside For Youth will hang up its gloves for good after the June 6 show at the Shaw Center, which will feature former world lightweight, welterweight and middleweight world champion Shane Mosley.

time, said Gallant, acknowledging bittersweet emotions. want to leave on a really high note. There are a couple of things that made it special and it was a tough decision. But to bring up a fighting analogy, some fighters stay in the game too long. I think we leaving at the right time.

Way back when, Gallant, who had deep ties to the Beaver Boxing Club, saw a boxing night as a different approach to Boys and Girls Club fundraising initiatives that had included runs, bikes and bowl a thons.

Legendary Canadian heavyweight star canada goose outlet store George Chuvalo was the celebrity for the inaugural Ringside For Youth.

had massive appeal, it was something new, said Gallant. boxing had never been done in Ottawa and we tried to give it a sort of Vegas theme.

had a phenomenal run of people. original thought was it might have a five year lifespan, but year after year, Ringside For Youth sold out behind the name power of some of boxing greatest names.

The stars included Thomas Hearns, Roy Jones, Sugar Ray Leonard, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Smokin Joe Frazier, Marvin canada goose Hagler, Larry Holmes, Roberto Duran, Gerry Cooney, Ken Norton, canada uk canada goose goose outlet uk sale Aaron Pryor and Ray Boom Mancini. The musical acts have included The Cooper Brothers, Blue Rodeo and Sass Jordan.

Former Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson has been a sponsor of the event since 2004.

Anyone who has visited a Boys and cheap canada goose Girls Club in a disadvantaged area and canada goose jacket outlet experienced the well organized after school sports, music and homework programs can witness their value. More than 4,500 boys and girls benefit from the program each year.

The cash raised from Ringside For Youth also helped fund the construction of an outdoor rink last year at the canada goose outlet Debra buy canada goose jacket cheap Dynes facility.

Gallant says the rewards are apparent when he sees a former Boys and Girls Club member go on to have success as an adult, canada goose outlet online whether canada goose factory outlet it as cheap canada goose uk a police officer or chartered accountant, or in any other field.

If there one regret, it that canada goose outlet nyc he could never cheap Canada Goose get the timing quite right to bring Muhammad Ali to Ottawa. Ali, perhaps the most celebrated athlete of the 20th century due to his boxing career, social activism and ability to self promote, died in 2016.

Three years ago, canada goose outlet black friday the Ringside For Youth committee began a search to see if there was a will for someone to take over the project. So far, there have been no takers.

some group wants to take over and revamp and remodify it, that great, said Gallant. a young group wants to revive Canada Goose online it or reshape it.