Why We Keep Showing Up
There are moments when the mission of Lord’s Gym becomes painfully clear.
This is one of them.
A Price Hill teen was shot just hours after his second youth boxing practice of the year at Lord’s Gym.
He’s just 14.
He came to Lord’s Gym to box—to learn, to grow, to build discipline and to be part of a team.
Hours later, his life was changed by gun violence.
Click here to read the full WLWT5 story.
Every day, young people in the neighborhoods we serve are navigating circumstances no child should have to face.
Violence. Instability. Poverty. Trauma. Difficult choices.
We cannot change every circumstance a young person faces.
But we can show up.
We can provide a safe place.
We can give a young person a coach who knows their name. A caring adult who listens. A team they can belong to. A place where they can learn discipline, discover their strengths and begin to imagine a different future.
Every practice matters.
Every relationship matters.
Every young person matters.
That is why Lord’s Gym reinstated our youth boxing program.
And it is why we will not stop because of what happened.
As Henri Lo, LGM Teens Chaplain, said:
“We’re not going to stop. We’re going to keep growing the program, and we’re going to keep providing a safe place. We’re hopeful, and we’re praying he’s going to make a strong recovery. And then, you know, God willing, maybe he can even come back someday.”
There is something powerful in those words.
We are not naïve about the challenges facing the young people we serve. We know a boxing program cannot solve gun violence by itself.
But we also know that relationships matter. Presence matters. Safe places matter. Hope matters.
And we believe God has called Lord’s Gym to keep showing up.
A Community Needs More Than Headlines
When a young person is shot, the story can quickly become another headline.
At Lord’s Gym, we see a young person.
A child with a name.
A teammate.
A grandson.
A member of our boxing family.
And someone whose future is still worth fighting for.
That is why our response cannot simply be to grieve what happened. We must continue investing in the young people who are still here.
We must keep opening the doors.
Keep running the programs.
Keep building relationships.
Keep providing safe places.
Keep pointing young people toward hope.
We’re not going to stop.
Why Scott Is Riding
This is also at the heart of Scott Bowers’ Great Divide Ride.
Scott is taking on a 3,300-mile journey along the Continental Divide to raise awareness about youth violence and shine a light on the young people and communities impacted by it.
But the ride is about more than the miles.
It is about helping people understand why this work matters.
It is about bringing greater awareness to the challenges young people face and inviting others to stand alongside Lord’s Gym.
And it is about raising support so we can continue creating safe places, building relationships and giving young people opportunities to grow stronger in the Lord.
You Can Show Up Too
The need is urgent.
And the opportunity to make a difference is right in front of us.
If you believe every young person deserves a safe place, a caring adult, a positive community and an opportunity to discover hope and purpose, consider investing in the mission of Lord’s Gym Ministries.
Your support helps make programs like youth boxing possible and allows us to continue showing up for young people and families in neighborhoods like Price Hill.
Every practice matters.
Every relationship matters.
Every young person matters.
Please pray for this young man, his family, his teammates and his coaches.
And please pray for the young people across our communities who are facing violence and difficult circumstances every day.
We will keep showing up.
Transforming lives for the glory of God.