Canfield youth collecting used sports equipment

Canfield High School seniors Lauren Lewis and Maggie Watt, will host a used sports equipment drive April 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and April 3 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at St. Michael Church on state Route 46 in Canfield.

They will be collecting gently-used or new sporting goods, like basketball, football, baseball, track, soccer, wrestling and dance shoes, plus bats, gloves, balls, rackets, shin guards, pads, skateboards, helmets and bikes.

Any used or new sporting goods will be greatly appreciated.

The sporting goods will be donated to underprivileged children in the Appalachian region of Grahn, Ky. In the rural area of Grahn, one in four residents live in poverty and many children do not have the means to purchase sports equipment or even the shoes to play.

Because of the poverty in the Grahn area, there is a shortage of jobs, and low quality health care and education, which makes the poverty even more severe.

Lewis and Watt thought that if the kids had the means to participate in sports, it would keep them healthier and may keep them more interested in school. If they do well in school, they could go on to college or technical schools, which would help break the cycle of poverty.

The duo came up with the idea after seeing the numerous pairs of outgrown shoes and not used equipment in their garage. They wondered what everyone did with the shoes and equipment when they outgrew them. Since most of them were only worn or used for one season, they were still in very good shape.

They thought if someone else could benefit from it, why throw it away. If people donated the goods, it would also save a lot of room in the landfills.

Lewis is an avid environmentalist, she is majoring in environmental science and journalism in college, so she is always looking for ways to save the environment.

Watts is majoring in Pre-med to be an orthopedic surgeon, so she knows the importance of exercising to keep the body, bones and joints strong and healthy.