Tom Bieri, SAY’s Executive Director, played a part this weekend in helping the Santa Rosa Mayor’s Gang Prevention Task Force put on a boxing event that was aimed at raising awareness of the gang prevention efforts being done in our community. Held at the Santa Rosa Plaza, Double Punches Boxing Club put on an incredible show of well trained humble young fighters. There was also a Celebrity Boxing Match between Sonoma County Board of Supervisor Efren Carrillo and Double Punches Coach and Golden Glove boxer Enrique Gutierrez. Enrique was once ranked first in the U.S., and he put on an impressive show. Efren showed incredible heart out there in the ring with the master.
John Meislahn, an SAY Board Member, was one of the Masters of Ceremonies for the event. SAY’s Matt Martin was seen mingling with the crowd.
The Mayor’s Gang Prevention Task Force has given money SAY to run our Youth Employment Center (YEC) as well as the Santa Rosa Clean Slate Tattoo Removal Program. The Clean Slate Tattoo Removal Program is a partnership with the Santa Rosa Community Health Center and Kaiser Permanente.
This summer, our YEC staff was folded into the Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps to employ 100 at-risk youth in the Santa Rosa region. The Youth Ecology Corps is a a collaborative effort that involved the Workforce Investment Board, the Sonoma County Water Agency, New Ways to Work, the Sonoma County Department of Education, and the Human Services Department.
As part of a contingent of community representatives that received a Golden Resolution in recognition of Gang Prevention Awareness Week, Tom Bieri and two young men employed by SAY in the Sonoma County Youth Ecology Corps spoke before the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning. On Tuesday afternoon, they helped receive a resolution from the Santa Rosa City Council honoring Gang Prevention Awareness Week. Recently, these two young men were each offered jobs by the City of Santa Rosa to continue their work in the parks after the Youth Ecology Corps ends at the end of this week.
Many thanks to a community that is coming together to support offering all of our youth the unique kind of hope and sense of personal significance that comes with having a promising job. This is an important part of our gang prevention efforts.
You can view a gallery of images from the event here on photographer Melissa Agoc’s website.
