Youth basketball outreach celebrates 25th year

A popular youth outreach is celebrating its 25th year as usual — on the court. The new season of the Saving Our Youth’s Midnight Basketball outreach will kickoff from 7 p.m. to midnight on Friday, June 9, at Christ Temple Community Church, 2717 N Kelley.

Each Friday during the summer months, youths gather for the Midnight Basketball food and fellowship offered on the outdoor basketball court on the Christ Temple property. Friday’s kickoff event will include opportunities to participate in basketball games, plus music, a moon bounce, free food. The outreach is hosted by the nonprofit Saving Our Youth in partnership with the Oklahoma County sheriff’s office. Pricilla Meadows-Norwood, Saving Our Youth’s founder and director, said the food is typically a highlight of the popular outreach and that tradition will continue. However, she said Saving Our Youth continues to seek monetary donations to help the nonprofit purchase food throughout the summer and volunteers for the weekly outreach are always welcome. Meadows-Norwood said she’s thankful for the continued partnership with the Oklahoma County sheriff’s office, with officers on hand to provide security and mentor youths. Also, several longtime donors and others have pledged to help with the outreach this year, including Charles and Cassie Bowen, who, in 2016, donated funds for the installation of a basketball court on the Christ Temple property to replace the broken pavement and worn portable hoops the outreach had previously used.

For more information about Midnight

Basketball, call 405-501-0367, email soyyouthokc@gmail.com or go to the Saving Our Youth “Soy OKC” Facebook page. Donations may be made to the nonprofit via Cash App at $SoyOKC2727 or checks may be sent to Saving Our Youth, 2717 N Kelley, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105.