Hometown Heroes: Boxing Champions Visit Club

Jose Ramirez, 2012 USA Olympic Boxer and WBC WBO Unified Light Welterweight World Champion, paid a visit to our Boys & Girls Club on March 22nd. Minimum-weight World Champion Female Boxer Seniesa Estrada and members of our Fresno Police Department were also in attendance. The event was called Hometown Heroes. It was a celebration of the heroes youth can and should have.

Five Clubs joined the fun at the Zimmerman Boys & Girls Club—Zimmerman, Clovis, West Fresno, East Fresno, and Huron Club. The night started with some wise words from the professional boxers. Jose and Seniesa spoke to our members about following their aspirations and always doing things with their entire heart.

“My advice to you is to stay focused… Whatever you do, do it with your heart first. Your mind and body will follow,” said Ramirez.

“Find someone positive in your life… that can encourage you and guide you through your young years. Make sure you have someone you can turn to and someone you can trust. I know you have it here at the Boys & Girls Club. There are a lot of people here who care about you and want you to succeed and follow your dreams. Listen to them. Believe in yourself. Always,” said Estrada.

Everyone was star stuck, and their positive message was well received. Club members also recognized our heroes in blue from the Fresno Police Department, who protect the Club daily. Later Jose and Seniesa autographed shirts and hats for every child and teen at the Club—as well as for some of the adults.

Thanks to Top Rank Boxing and Sandra Dee Chaney, BGC Director Special Events, the Club has a memory that will last a lifetime.

Everyone enjoyed donated wings from Buffalo Wild Wings and donated Sprite from Coca-Cola. Top Rank donated 1,000 tickets to Ramirez’s battle against Richard Commey on Saturday, March 25th. With the coordination of staff and parents, Club members enjoyed a field trip to the Save Mart Center where they watched an intense battle.

An experience like this does more in a youth’s life than one realizes. Interacting with real life heroes gives them the capacity to dream big and the encouragement needed to make the first steps to a Great Future.