The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ALREADY establishing themselves as one of the top clubs in the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations in just their three years of existence, the Red-Line Athletics took it a step further by showing their benevolence to one of the top local non-charitable organisations.

On Friday at the entrance of the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium, Red-Line Athletics presented Great Commission Ministries International with more than 500 pounds of food, including rice, grits, corned beef and tuna, and a cheque for $1,000 to help with their daily distribution of food and other essentials to the needy at their Wulff Road headquarters.

Club founder and head coach Tito Moss said it’s just Red-Line Athletics’ way of trying to put smiles on some Bahamians as they go through these tough economic times as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

“As a part of our Operation 2020/21 Give Back, we have decided to partner with Great Commission Ministries, we thought that it was fitting because of the great work that they do, that they would be a part of our Give Back for 2021,” Moss said.

Although they are a non-profit track club, Moss said after staging their first track meet earlier this year, they didn’t turn a profit because of the absence of the fans in the stands due to COVID-19 restrictions.

But he said they still found it necessary to remember that in times like this, there are others who are in great need and that was why they selected Great Commission Ministries International as their first recipients.

All of the members of the club donated dry goods and Red-Line Athletics matched up, along with the cheque that they presented to Mayquen Demeritte, who represented Great Commission Ministries.

“We want to thank you for thinking of us,” Demeritte said. “There are so many persons that are affected by COVID-19 and we cannot say thank you enough. They will go very far in our many programmes.”

Moss said the whole idea is to inspire their athletes to give back to others less fortunate than themselves as they become productive students and members of the society.

Male team captain Joshua Miller said because Moss has instilled in them to always put their best foot forward, when the idea came up, they all rallied around and got the job done.

“Every day, there are hundreds of people on a line waiting to be served, so we are just happy to be able to give back,” he stated. “Red-Line loves to give back. We love to do everything as a team, so it wasn’t that hard.”

And female team captain Asia Bullard concurred and took it a step further.

“Being a part of this as a team from Red-Line Athletics, I feel great about it,” she stressed. “In our club, we do everything as if we are a family, so we are basically giving back to other families in need.

“To see the turnout from my team-mates was good. Not everyone can give in a time like this, so seeing this unity and this support is just tremendous.”

Assistant head coach Michael Armbrister said what they are doing is different, but as the Cinderalla club under the direction of Moss, they have developed a great foundation. “What I’m most impressed with is that when we come together as a family, we try to set examples for the athletes,” he said. “When you look at crime and all of the other factors going on in our community, when coach Moss mentioned the idea, he had no problem getting the support from the kids and their parents.

“Great Commission, when you drive down Wulff Road and you see the line at 1 ‘clock in the day, you wonder what’s going on,” he said. “So, we thought it was only fitting that we do our part and encourage the other clubs to do the same.”

And Earl Rahming, another coach in the club, said the support from the athletes was tremendous.

“We all chipped in, and you see the outcome,” he stated. “That’s what happens when you are a family-oriented club. We came together and we knew we had a goal to achieve and that was to give back to the community.”

While Rahming said their club members are fortunate to know where their next meal is coming from, there are so many people in the community who don’t, and this was a way to give back and assist them.

“It’s wonderful to receive the assistance that we received, and we look forward to many more wonderful experiences like this,” he added.

Moss said they intend to make another presentation later this year, but they are still working on the details as to who the next recipients will be.