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Gugma
Boys in focus It
all started sometime last year after a series of basketball tournament organized
by Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Poblacion II of this city. Composed of six sport
enthusiasts, the sport's committee of the said parish has been involved in organizing
several athletic activities including the successful OLLP Inter-neighborhood and
Inter-parish Basketball Tournaments.
At
first, pleasure-giving relaxation and recreation that would promote the competitiveness
among the parishioners was mainly the interest. Then a strong rapport soon developed
among the players and with everyone sharing a positive response to the creation
of an official basketball team for the parish, the animated Gugma Boys was born.
Gugma
Boys as the fondly call themselves, has 23 members with all the teams in the neighborhood
represented. The group officially represents Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in every
basketball tournament in the community. Competing against the team from other
parishes, the group has already scored a real good number of wins. Gugma Boys
is not only full of energy; they are full of love too. Moved by an intense eagerness
to help in developing and inspiring especially the children and the youth in the
parish, the group extended their wings beyond basketball. Last summer, they launched
their first outreach program, the Summer Parish Sport's Camp wherein the group
spearheaded and supervised different sport activities: basketball clinic for children
ages 6-12 years, chess and tennis clinics, swimming and hip-hop dancing lessons.
Instructors were hired to conduct and facilitate the activities. The group's drive
is to promote healthy and productive lives especially among the youth. "Our
concern is the youth because when young people fail, tremendous opportunities
and potentials are wrecked," said Dr. Allan Real, the group's prime mover.
| | | True
enough, Gugma Boys are really Gugma Boys. They show what their name is really
meant for. Motivated by their hearts' desire, the boys are now on their way towards
their second outreach program: Bohol Cares' Walk With Us 2009. A support to the
famous line, "the care until the cure" has been their guiding force
in this project. Together
with Bohol Cares, a cancer support groupalso based at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish,
they are committed to help protect and improve the precious lives of all those
who face the challenges of cancer. | The
two groups are presently meeting regularly; organizing and finalizing the details
of the forthcoming big event. "This is a different kind of teamwork, a teamwork
that spells out the difference!" Achil Amores, a Gugma Boy, commented. "Yes
and in this venture, we are also teaching people the art of giving," added
Dr. Allan during one of their meetings.
Despite
remarkable breakthrough in cancer research and enormous help from the government
and private sectors, there are still too many cancer patient not receiving adequate
treatment and care, there are still too many cancer patients who cant afford a
quality life, and there are still too many cancer patients in need of us. To find
out more about Walk With Us 2009, please check out the upcoming press releases
of Bohol Cares. (PLT)  |
