ALTON - Alton Community Boxing Club recently announced its partnership with - and relocation to - YWCA Alton. The boxing club’s Co-founder and Vice President Kaletha Anderson described the nonprofit organization as a “family,” mentorship program, positive outlet for aggression, and much more.
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Anderson said the Alton Community Boxing Club is much more than just a new sport or club - she described it as a “family.” They welcome members of all ages above 6, and Anderson said the older members often act as mentors for the younger ones.
“We wanted to bring something different to the kids and give them a second home, a place to feel safe, a place to let their aggression out, and also to discipline the aggression,” Anderson said. “I would describe it as a family. We teach - we don’t want it to just be considered a club. A lot of our older boxers, we have them come down early and do Big Brother partnerships with the younger kids,” she said.
The club provides everything from boxing gloves to lunch money for those in need.
“We also try to help with things that they don’t have,” Anderson said. “Some of the boxers might come and say ‘Hey, I don’t have lunch money,’ we give lunch money out. A lot of the boxers that do come down, when they first start, they have no gloves, so we let them use the house gloves. Then after so long of them coming consistently, we go out of our way and buy them their own pair of gloves.”
The club will have different hours as it relocates from Rock Spring Park to the YWCA. Starting Tuesday, Aug. 22, their hours for adults will be on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and their hours for both kids and adults will be on Saturdays from 12 to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. They plan to hold after-school programs for kids during the week from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., though the exact weekdays are still being worked out.
Anderson plans to give back to the community that supports them by picking up trash and more in the future. She also plans on the club participating in the Alton Halloween Parade, and if boxers are ready by November, they may join a competition in St. Louis. One of her many goals with the club is to get the boxers seen by scouts to go professional, get sponsorship deals, and more.
She said she’s been thankful for everyone involved in the club, as well as the community’s support and positive reception.
“We just want to thank the boxers, the families, [and] the community for the love and the support,” Anderson said. “It’s overwhelming - it almost put us in tears because we didn’t know so many people supported us. We just love the outcome of what’s going on, it’s great - spirits are great, positive energy, so many people are willing to step up and help … I’m just happy that the community is receiving us well.”
For more information and updates on Alton Community Boxing Club, visit their Facebook page.
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