Official handover of newly refurbished YMCA Gym: Left to right – Ms. Rosalyn Pinder, Manager, Niche Markets & Sports Department – Ministry of Tourism; Mr. Ian Rolle, President – GBPA Group; Mrs. Karon Pinder-Johnson, Executive Director – YMCA; Mr. Neal Holden, President – Basketball Travelers Inc.; Mrs. Geneva Rutherford, Director of Community Relations – GBPA Group and Mrs. Ginger Moxey, Vice President – GBPA Group Photo: Derek Carroll
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Freeport, Grand Bahama - Today, members
of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) and Basketball Travelers
Inc. participated in a press conference to officially handover the newly
refurbished basketball facility to YMCA executives.
Commenting on the refurbishment of the basketball court floor,
score clocks, bleachers and wall panels was Ian Rolle, GBPA President.
“This project began back in April of this year when GBPA partnered with
Basketball Travelers and Junkanoo Jam to rebuild the YMCA. This was an
awesome project that provided GBPA with the perfect opportunity to
demonstrate our vision of ‘Bettering
the lives of the Grand Bahama Community,” said Mr. Rolle.
Basketball Travelers Inc. has hosted an annual ‘Junkanoo
Jam’ Basketball Tournament in Grand Bahama Island since
November of 2003. Due to the physical devastation caused by the
Hurricanes of 2004 & 2005, they were unable to hold tournaments at the
YMCA.
Now that the facilities have been restored, ‘Junkanoo
Jam’ President, Neal Holden, is excited about this year’s
tournament in the fall. “Our tournament will increase by fifty
percent in 2009 as we move to a twelve team tournament. Twelve
universities representing all four corners of the United States will
participate with an overall injection into the local Grand Bahama economy of
over $750,000,” stated Mr. Holden.
President Rolle Takes A Shot
Mr. Ian Rolle, President – GBPA Group, Members of the Tabernacle Baptist Academy and Bishop Michael Eldon Girls Basketball Teams Photo: Derek Carroll
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Also on hand for the handover ceremony was Mrs. Karon
Pinder-Johnson, Executive Director of the YMCA. “Even though the
hurricanes destroyed our buildings, the spirit of the YMCA still lives on in
the community,” said Mrs. Pinder-Johnson as she reflected on the physical
progress made to date. She expressed gratitude to corporate sponsors GBPA and
Basketball Travelers Inc. and urged other businesses and individuals to step
forward and contribute to the YMCA, in recognition of the vital role it plays
in the community.
The court is valued at approximately $40,000 and is made with
durable first rate materials created by SportCourt. Since 2003,
Basketball Travelers Inc. The Ministry of Tourism, and President Lawrence
Hepburn of The Bahamas Basketball Federation have worked together to produce
the ‘Junkanoo Jam’ tournament, one of the prestigious women’s
events in NCAA D1 college basketball.
Related articles:
GBPA partners with the YMCA and Basketball Travelers to refurbish the Y's basketball court
2008 NCAA Women's Junkanoo Jam Basketball Tournament wraps up