11/14/2023 0 Comments Virginia beach rec center near me![]() ![]() The funds also are helping Swinson construct an even bigger youth center on Lincoln Street. Swinson said $2 million in state funding made the center possible, in addition to equipment donations from Tidewater Community College and Starbase Victory program, a nonprofit group that works with Portsmouth Public Schools. “To get a chance to really get into something that you really want to do versus something that’s forced on you.” “I think our kids have to grow up so early, from circumstances or whatever, and you don’t really get a chance to enjoy your childhood,” Swinson said. The kids play room is a fun place for the tweens and teens. That said, there are countless programs and classes available for all ages. ![]() The Kempsville Rec Center is over thirty years old so you have to expect a level of 'age' when you walk in. It’s also the city’s first “minority-owned” facility of its kind, according to a release for last week’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. 38 reviews of Kempsville Recreation Center 'Really not that bad, especially for the price. The center opened in August, but this week will be the first time about 35 students will be picked up from several schools and taken to the building, which can support up to 50 young people. “(The) biggest thing I hear is the kids (are) bored,” Swinson said, adding that they often say “there’s nothing to do” in the city. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)īig HOMIES is a community outreach group that focuses on mentoring the youth most exposed to gun violence and poverty across Portsmouth.Ī backyard features picnic tables where children can gather and eat - and an outside basketball court is in the works. The wall features photos of people who grew up in the Hampton Roads area, such as Missy Elliott and Gabby Douglas, who went on to do big things and chase their dreams. Co-owner Eugene Swinson shows off the “Are You Next” wall at Little Homies Youth Enrichment and Recreation Center in Portsmouth on Tuesday, September 5, 2023. Through his grassroots organization Big HOMIES, he and co-founder Alice Edwards opened the Little Homies Youth Enrichment and Recreation Center, a new facility intended to serve Portsmouth youth of all ages, providing them with educational and leisure opportunities in a safe space. But he now uses his experience to empower Portsmouth’s most vulnerable youth in an effort to help set them on a more positive path. ![]() Swinson once spent his time dealing drugs and modeling some of the same violent behavior he witnessed as a child. PORTSMOUTH - As someone who grew up exposed to the violence that sometimes comes to Portsmouth’s public housing communities, Eugene Swinson understands the power negative influences can have on young people. E-Pilot Evening Edition Home Page Close Menu ![]()
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