Kelownasa国际传媒檚 Los Gatos Locos boxing gym isnsa国际传媒檛 currently your usual boxing gym.

Right now, wannabe boxers are training there for the opportunity to step inside a boxing ring and fight to make a difference in their community.

Owner and coach Geoff Lawrence has brought back sa国际传媒楾hree-Round Heroessa国际传媒� to give people an opportunity to change their lives via boxing, and in turn support local outreach programs.

sa国际传媒淲e recruit men and women who have never boxed before in their lives, give them three months of training, and the whole time their training, they fundraise,sa国际传媒� said Lawrence.

The raised funds are then put back into the community to support recovery home programs at Ozanam House, Karis Support Society and Freedomsa国际传媒檚 door.

Over the past two years, more than $30,000 was raised and donated to help keep the doors open at the recovery homes.

The three-month training program is concluded with a celebration fight card between the sa国际传媒渢hree-round heroessa国际传媒� and professional amateurs.

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The event has now come full circle, as participant Joseph Dube, who was once in a recovery program, is now participating as an amateur boxer on this yearsa国际传媒檚 fight card.

It was his way of giving back after receiving help last year.

sa国际传媒淔or me, it was a way to learn certain disciplines, and for me to challenge my anxieties and stress,sa国际传媒� said Dube.

sa国际传媒淭he type of work that Geoff and his team do, Isa国际传媒檝e seen them give so much of their time and energy in getting people to succeed, and thatsa国际传媒檚 something that I want to be a part of.sa国际传媒�

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Lawrence and his team train the sa国际传媒渉eroes,sa国际传媒� but as part of the fundraiser the gym donates time slots for men and women working with the outreach programs to come out and get boxing training.

Dube decided to enter the boxing world, and now he wants to pursue it further.

sa国际传媒淚 definitely choose to fight as a way to give back, to show people my ability to push myself, and to show other people that they can do it too. Itsa国际传媒檚 definitely a personal thing, but Isa国际传媒檓 seeing how far I can grow in the discipline of boxing,sa国际传媒� Dube said.

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This yearsa国际传媒檚 event fight card will feature eight to 10 charity fights, and then a similar number of amateur fights.

Lawrence said the event was a sell-out the past two years, and the impact of his program has been felt within the community.

sa国际传媒淔or the recovering addicts, for the participants, I get calls from guyssa国际传媒� mothers that are thanking me from the bottom of their hearts. Itsa国际传媒檚 crazy how big of an impact itsa国际传媒檚 had for both,sa国际传媒� said Lawrence.

sa国际传媒淕oing to keep donating and fighting for the community, because we care for our community, for as long as Isa国际传媒檓 here.sa国际传媒�

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The sa国际传媒渉eroessa国际传媒� are mid-training and the fight card is set for July 6 at the Rutland Centennial Hall.

Email Lawrence at geoffmadkatz@gmail.com for more information for tickets and donations.

To report a typo, email:
newstips@kelownacapnews.com.

newstips@kelownacapnews.com
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