Walk-a-thon inspiring Montreal youth to participate in sports, joined by several major league athletes

The Montreal Community Cares Foundation (MCCF) is holding their second annual Power of Sports walk-a-thon. Local big-league athletes such as former NBA player Kris Joseph and professional soccer player James Pantemis joined the event to show their support.

The foundation said kids have been less active due to the pandemic and will be using the money they raised Saturday to help them get back into sports.

“There’s power in sports,” said Denburk Reid, founder of the Montreal Community Cares Foundation.

“Right after the pandemic, I saw the difficulties that the kids were going through,” he said. “They lacked motivation. They lacked self-esteem. They were they were in a rut. They were stuck to their screens.

“I wanted to do something to bring them out of it. And I knew that sports was something that we could all rally around to help these kids elevate and see a better, a bigger picture for themselves.”

Taking note of the high costs for gym memberships and parents losing jobs during the pandemic, Reid launched the Power of Sports walkathon in 2021. The fundraiser aims to financially support youth programs that will allow children to develop their physical and leadership skills, as well as the necessary sports gear and equipment.

“For these kids who come from the same circumstances and background that I did, I think that sports is always a great outlet for them to come and express themselves,” said Kris Joseph, former NBA player and now MCCF ambassador. Joseph was selected for the 2012 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics at the age of 14, and a year later, played for the Brooklyn Nets.

“These donations are going directly to that, which is obviously building up our future because the kids are the future,” Joseph said.

Many Montreal youth did benefit from the programs, including 17-year-old Cassandre Prosper who now plays at NCAA tournaments for the Fighting Irish, the women’s basketball team at the University of Notre-Dame in Indiana, northwest of the US.

“There’s so many people here that have great resources, that have great connections,” Prosper said. “Trying to learn as much from them and implement that in my game or just outside the game, that really helps me.

Reid says sports also help kids build their confidence, which was the case for 23-year-old LaSalle native Tyrese Samuel, who has played for several professional basketball teams around the world. He has recently put his name up for the NBA and will be playing for the Gators at the University of Florida.

“I was one of these kids once upon a long time ago,” Samuel said. “And it’s always great to come back, and talk, and share your wisdom with them because they look up to you, they see you on the Internet.

“Sports has brought me to places. I got to go to Italy, Greece, France, the Bahamas, and L.A. I’ve been to All-Star Weekend and that’s all just because of basketball. That’s what sports could do.”

“There’s so many sports growing up, like basketball, hockey, soccer, football. Just having accessibility to that is what’s important,” said professional soccer player James Pantemis, who began playing the sport at the age of four. “What we’re doing today is for the kids and making sure they have those equal opportunities.”

People can donate to the Montreal Community Cares Foundation on their website.