$1 million Dollar Turf Run

The Hartford Hurricanes Youth Football and cheerleading program is a program in the inner city of Hartford, CT one of the US worst cities to live in. However I recently started the first ever Division 1 Pop Warner program and it has been a success to the youths and the community. We have received citations from State Senators for our work. Citations from the Mayor for our work with the city youths and even more importantly the feedback from parents and children and the bonds they created through our program. We have adults in our city that didn't know each other, miss each other in the off season because we have created a family like environment to eliminate the bullying and gang violence that have plagued our inner city and have touched some of the youths on our team. However we have been forced to practice on a football field where the city have deemed unsafe for us to have football games on yet could not accommodate us with a safe and regulated football field. Our youths visit all over the state of CT other youth football and cheer programs and see how other youths enjoy their turf facility with concession stand and etc. Our youths are faced with an unsafe field with a concession stands that doesn't have any running water, broken doors and rust throughout the building. This is unsafe to allow anyone to visit and even unsafe to serve food out of. During the season a group of parents and youths stated to me that they will start a push to have our youths enjoy the same luxuries that other youths around the state enjoy. So the named it the $1 million Dollar Turf run. The Hurricanes Program not only serves as a way off the street for many of these youths year round but a way to be safe from bullying. We had many youths beat-up on their way home from practice and etc. Our coaches (well known in the community) have reached out to other adults that knew the gang members and youths and now out kids get to and from practice and school safer than before. Also we have a lot of youths that are excessively over weight. With the video game error many of our youths feel they can acquire all they need right there in the home. We start an indoor winter workout session for youths only to not only keep them off the street and involved but to keep them in shape all year long so our youths are healthier. We have a Certified Coach in the State of CT leading the pact on our youth obesity problem. The Hartford Hurricanes organization is 100% voluntary and all of our volunteers can very deeply.