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Hunger Food Drive Event |
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at the Olive or Twist
on Sixth Street
Hunger Food Drive Event, Sunday, December 23, 2007
The Innovation of Baron Flenory, Kevan Gaines and Howard Bullard
by bonita lee penn, The Soul Pitt
As the cold, brisk wind whipped down Sixth Avenue Sunday evening, family, friends and business associates of Baron Flenory, gathered inside the Olive or Twist Restaurant to welcome the holiday season with laughter and celebration. This event was not only organized as a meet and greet of old and new friends, but to raise food for the community food banks.
Sunday’s Hunger Food Drive Event was the brainchild of Baron Flenory who was an outstanding athletic at Valley High School in New Kensington, PA and then went on to play as the star defensive back at D-AII Division New Hampshire. Baron, owner of Next Level Athletics, and in collaboration with two of his friends and business partners, Kevan Gaines and Howard Bullard decided to give something back to the community where they grew up and where their families still reside.
These young black entrepreneurs grew up in the Pittsburgh area and after graduation went on to continue their higher education out of state. Baron Flenory is the owner of Next Level Athletics based in Somerset, New Jersey, a sports centered business offering highly specialized sports training to high school athletics across the country including the X-treme X-posure Football Camp. This is a unique football camp that has attracted the best of the best in high school athletics along the East Coast.
Even though Baron has been busy with his sports business he still kept in touch with his Pittsburgh roots by reading the local newspapers to stay abreast of the happenings in the Pittsburgh area. He soon grew frustrated only finding the pages splashed with headlines of violent crimes and the murders of young black males. The more he searched for positive news the more discouraged he became. When he thought the news couldn’t sink lower he read an article in the Tribune-Review describing how the local community food banks were feeling the crunch from the lack of food being donated for those in need.
After reading the article he knew it was time for him to take a stand, to make a commitment, to give back to the community which had given him so much. He wanted to show that ‘yes’ something positive is going on in Pittsburgh, there are positive young people working to take the community to the next level.
"It seemed no one had anything positive to focus on, so I decided to draw the media's attention to the positive things that have come out of Pittsburgh." Baron said.
He felt the food bank shortage has an affect of every person of ethnic background, community and financial standing. Out of today’s society has grown a new group of families called the working poor. Even though there are families with one or two parents working full time, with the rising cost of transportation, health care, housing, food and clothing, even in those working homes, it's hard to make ends meet. He decided a food drive would assist these families.
Baron and his business partners live in the Philadelphia area but they wanted to come back to Pittsburgh and contribute in a positive way to the community they still call home. All left as young wide-eyed inexperienced young men grabbing their hold on the brass ring and they have returned as young successful entrepreneurs.
I asked Baron how did those he contacted in Pittsburgh received his idea of organizing an event to help the raise food for the food banks? "It was not as embraced as much as it could have been." Baron responded. He contacted several Pittsburgh media outlets inviting them to attend and cover the event and their responses were 'if we have time' to 'not on our list of being a priority.'
Even though there was a lack of media to cover the positive event, there were many members of Baron's immediate and extended family and friends in attendance, all who brought bags filled with their contribution of canned goods. William Neal of the Champion Associations and Donna Baxter of The Soul Pitt were a few of the many supportive people in attendance.
The evening was filled with good food, drinks, great music and conversations. The Olive or Twist Restaurant is a beautiful, upscale and classy venue. Baron, Kevan and Howard were gracious hosts mingle with everyone who attended. Let’s support more positive events such as this and ask our local media outlets to include more positive news.
Happy Holidays remember to always give back.
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