Transforming Lives - One Hero At A Time

It may be difficult to pinpoint exactly who the heroes are at Heroes Camp held every Saturday at Bramalea Christian Fellowship church in Brampton, Ontario. But S.J. Lennon has an idea.

The basketball camp - which is free to the public and open to people of all faiths, genders and ages - promotes the development of basketball skills and Christian ideals to three age groups by talented, young professional basketball players and coaches, including those from the Brampton A's team of the National Basketball League of Canada.

Brampton A's head coach David Magley, above left with his son Daniel, started the camp here in Brampton as a Canadian version of the original Heroes Camp begun in South Bend, Indiana, by his brother Pat, and volunteers his time, his basketball wisdom, and his spiritual guidance to the kids who attend.

Lennon, 32, originally from Kingston, Jamaica, and living in Brampton, also volunteers his Saturdays after watching the Brampton A's enter their inaugural year in the NBLC last year.

"When the Brampton A's came to the city I embraced the opportunity to watch professional basketball," said Lennon, a retired semi-pro basketball player. "I felt the need to reach out to Coach Magley to get a closer relationship to the team and the coach and I have grown very close in the last year. We've developed like a father-son relationship to where he asked me to come on board and assist him with Heroes Camp here in Brampton."

According to Lennon, there are a few basic elements to the camp, which runs from 10 am to 12 noon for ages 7-11, 1 to 3 pm for ages 12-15, and 3 to 5 p.m. for ages 16 and up.

"I think it's very important that, one, we reach out to the community and let them know we care and we love them," he said. "And two, that we provide positive role models and figures for people to look at because there is a lot of 'wrong' that is out there they could be looking at and participating in."

"The key element is that this is a Christian basketball programme and that the values that are behind it and running it - the engine that's pushing it forward - are those Christian values."

"I think this is something that's great for all ages," Lennon added. "It's completely free and open to the public - we don't turn anyone away. It's something positive for everyone to look forward to and build on further on down the road."

So, for Lennon, who does he believe the heroes are at Heroes Camp?

"The hero for me is my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but other than that everyone here is a hero," he explained. "Not only are the parents heroes for understanding this is what you want your children in, but the kids are heroes because they know what this programme is about and they want to be here.
"We've had many kids come back week after week saying how much they enjoyed being here. And of course the staff who are here who give up their Saturday. It's not easy to be here Saturday in and Saturday out to volunteer.

"So anyone who is a part of Heroes Camp is a hero in my books."

Heroes Camp is located at Bramalea Christian Fellowship - 11613 Bramalea Road in Brampton, Ontario. To register, go to bcfchurch.net and click on "Register Here" on the Heroes Camp slide. For more information you can also go to the Brampton A's website or call 905-799-1188.