7 News Belize

Football & Food Camp Gets Boost
posted (July 15, 2011)
One week ago we told you about the grassroots camp being hosted in Lake Independence by football star Deon Flowers. As he told us, it's him against the world in terms of sponsorship and providing for over a hundred children hungry for something to do for the summer, and sometimes just plain hungry.

He got some much needed support today and Monica Bodden found out more:

Monica Bodden Reporting:

Over a hundred and fifty children from across the Southside of Belize City invested their time wisely in a 3 week sports camp- called the 3rd world social club. There, they got to play, football, basketball, volleyball and a number of other sporting activities - and today - on the camp's final day - they showed us what they learned.

It was all fun and smiles - for these children who are usually considered by society as underprivileged.

Deon Pussy Flowers - Camp Organizer
"Today is the day for the 12th year. So I'm trying to have a victory party for the 12 years that we are struggling for the kids, to let them know that it's 12 years that they are in the 3rd World Organization. You respect your birth date; this is just like 3rd World having its birthday. So we are trying to represent, the loved-ones that passed away, and we are trying to represent it for to show them thanks for the effort that they showed us to make agree to show back for the kids again. We got some water, chips and dips, barbeque, rice and beans. We are trying to get some chips with some party bags and other things. I already know that it will pressure me because the party bags won't be enough. So far I only have 50 party bags, and you see how many kids? It looks like more than 300 out here right now. I don't know - the pressure is on me."

Flowers says one of his biggest challenges is financing the camp - especially for the amount of children he accommodates. But on Tuesday of this week he was lucky enough to receive some relief when Crime Stoppers Belize handed him a cheque for one thousand dollars.

Chris Garcia - Chief Operating Officer, Crime Stoppers Belize
"I can recall, I think it was last week Friday night, I was watch the Channel 7 News, and I saw you interviewing Mr. Deon Flowers, and he sounded very passionate about what he was doing. I saw the children having fun, and I recognized the fact that he needed help. I could see it in his face, hear it in his voice. And currently, we have a grant, a Charsi Grant from the US Embassy, which is geared towards helping in situations like this, to keep the children busy during the summer, during the Easter. Give them positive things to do, because we call ourselves Crime Stoppers, but our initiative is really giving the public a toll free number that they call in, and report whatever they know about a crime, and anonymous. So nobody knows who call in, but we want to go a step further. Rather than waiting til after a crime has been committed to try and help solve it, to try and assist in stopping the crime before it occurs. So we thought that by engaging young people, especially in the hot areas or areas that don't have a lot to do during when school is out, we thought that was a good intiative that we could join in and do."

Deon Pussy Flowers
"So far, you see, its that grant is what has us doing this Friday thing. Without that, we don't know what we would have done. Thanks to Crime Stoppers, Krem, Amandala, Joseph Ortega - "nuff respect" - because they sponsor us every year. I don't have any problem, if it is - anything that they gave is - $5, anything, I don't care - they gave us a lot. If they gave us $10, they gave us a lot. At least we got a little bit of something back to the kids. So I thank those people who guarantee me, and give me all - I try to tell the entire community, all the camps that open, and all the business people that the parents go and give their things to - That's what I am saying, where these parents go and give their money. Just give back to the community; it doesn't matter if it's my camp, it doesn't matter if it's another camp, I am supporting all camps that are doing positive things for the kids."

According to Flowers he will continue running the camp throughout the entire summer holidays - to help keep these one hundred and fifty Southside children off the streets.

Monica Bodden
"Will the camp continue after today?"

Deon Pussy Flowers - Camp Organizer
"Well, so far, we gave the kids certain things, and I think others gave the kids enough, so I tell the kids that I know that the budget - we can't have the camp Monday through Friday, so I am trying to work out something to have the camp Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday."

Monica Bodden
"So that's going to last for how long, until the entire summer is over?"

Deon Pussy Flowers
"Well we are trying to have it last as long as possible until when school open to allow them to keep active at least until the school opens, they will be held. But right now, there is no school, so we are trying to hold them to stop them from doing anything negative out there. So far, Father has not complained about anyone breaking up the church, breaking the glass, and that that's some of the things that we are trying to stop. It doesn't have to be personal violence to get into a fight with somebody, or to kill somebody. It can be violence like property damage, or breaking up their parents' lives. And that's more problems for poor people; we don't want that. So we are trying to help out."





Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize