PBC Sports Commission selects ICYG as 2009 Golf Clinician

RIVIERA BEACH, FL — For the sixth consecutive year, Inner City Youth Golfers’, Inc. Executive Director, Esmeralda H. Knowles has been chosen as the 'Golf Clinician' along with her team of volunteers for the Palm Beach County Sports Commission’s Annual “Kids Fitness Festival” July 16-17, 2009. Each July, South Florida youth gather at the Americraft Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds, West Palm Beach, Fla., for two days of fitness and fun. ICYG will provide a fun golfing experience to at least 5,000 youth in the two days along with prizes, 'do's and don’t', literature, and a “Say No To Drugs – Say Yes To Education, Culture & Golf” goody bag (a program signature water bottle, book mark, and pencil) for them to take home and show to their friends thanks to its support from Palm Beach County Sheriff, Ric L. Bradshaw. Mrs. Knowles stated, “It is an excellent and well planned event. We hope to continue sup-porting it and being part of it for years to come.” She further stated, “We’re very excited a-bout this year’s event and all that the Kids’ Fitness Festival has to offer.”

Palm Beach County Sports Commission Executive Director, Gerry Baron said, “Without the support of ICYG, their professional team and volunteers, the golf interest among the children in the event would not have grown to its present success. We are very thankful for their sincere donation of time over the past five years.”

The festival itself gives children the opportunity to learn and participate in over 40 different traditional and non-traditional sports clinics to get hands on experience and develop skills in areas such as archery, badminton, baseball, basket-ball, bowling, chess, cheer-leading, cricket, dance, fencing, field hockey, fishing, football, golf, hockey, judo, karate, lacrosse, netball, paint ball, power lifting, rugby, running, soccer, squash, tennis, tae kwon do, surfing, and many more.

Each clinic is conducted by a professional from that sports area. The clinicians share techniques, enhance skills, and provide an introduction to their sport.

The festival also features mascots, autograph sessions, special guests, demonstrations, a gigantic bounce house, rock-wall, mist tent, and much more. Local companies can showcase their healthy lifestyle products in their expo area as well. In attendance this past year were sports franchises, facilities, the Florida Marlins, and several professional athletes such as Bennie Blades, Donnell Bennet, James Pruitt, and Mike Rumph to name a few.

The festival is open to all individuals and groups. All donations and proceeds benefit the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, a non-profit organization that provides local youths the opportunity to learn sportsmanship, teamwork and citizenship through sport. The Sports Commission also promotes character development through sporting activities, lifelong physical fitness, a drug-free lifestyle, safe, and fun access to healthy activities. Please call (561) 233-3178 for information and to sign-up for the “2009 Kids Fitness Festival.”

Congratulations to ICYG, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, other clinicians, Ronald McDonald House Chari-ties, other sponsors and volunteers from Palm Beach County Commissioner Priscilla Taylor's Office (District 7), and the entire Westside Gazette newspaper family.



(thewestsidegazette.com)