Denver Nuggets NBA star Kenyon Martin hosts Youth Basketball Camp and Fundraising Gala!

Denver Nuggets NBA star Kenyon Martin hosts his youth basketball camp and fundraising gala this week in Colorado with a commitment to giving. Benefiting organizations include: Snowmass Rec Center, Buddy Program, YouthZone and KMF. The camp, which kicked off yesterday includes appearances by Kenyon Martin of the Denver Nuggets, as well as other members of the team and players from the Denver Broncos, Colorado Avalanche and San Diego Chargers.
Martin is expected to be joined by Carlos Boozer of the Chicago Bulls and other health and fitness professionals including Marina Lopez, 2010 Colorado State Bodybuilding Champion, Jeanette Jenkins, The Hollywood Trainer, and Steve Hess, Nuggets’ Strength and Conditioning Coach. The second annual Kenyon Martin Foundation Gala will be held tomorrow, June 30th at Viceroy Snowmass , his hip-hop star and self-titled “Diamond Princess” Trina is expected to attend the festivities along with other celebrities.

Why did Kenyon start his foundation? Check out his personal note on his commitment to giving back!

PERSONAL NOTE FROM KENYON:

“My childhood was one of the roughest and I realize that the lack of parenting and positive role models can often lead a child to a life of drugs, crime, etc. Society has kids growing up a lot faster today and many times they are being raised by the street. I look at the peers I grew up with and the fact that I’m one of the few successful ones that was able to make it out of Dallas, Texas and thrive. Whether the majority of them are locked up, unemployed or on drugs, seeing this makes you realize that it could have been you as well. I was given an opportunity to do what I love, play basketball, and I hope to give other children opportunities to do what they love as well. My goal is to do what I can to change things for them and let them know that no matter where you come from you can always succeed.”

Denver Nuggets power forward Kenyon Martin established the Kenyon Martin Foundation in October of 2008 with the Giving Back Fund to share the hard-earned lessons he learned in his childhood in hopes of helping other youth realize their dreams.

The mission of the Foundation is:
•To provide support, including parenting and career guidance to teenagers who become parents as well as assisting families without father figures.
•To provide life changing opportunities to underserved youth with an emphasis on helping youth in Dallas, Denver, and Cincinnati realize their unlimited potential.

To learn how you can give back and become involved with Kenyon’s efforts visit: www.kenyonmartinfoundation.org

Check back for gala photos on Friday!