Metro Mayors Host 13th Annual Shannon Grant Basketball Tournament
Annual event brings together law enforcement, youth, community and workers in celebration of a safe summer.
EVERETT – Local teens, community-based organization workers and law enforcement officials joined together for the Annual Shannon Grant Basketball Tournament last weekend, in a show of solidarity to support the reduction of both youth violence and gang involvement across Metro Mayors Coalition communities.
On Saturday, August 6, teams from Everett, Malden, Somerville, Revere, Cambridge, Chelsea, and Winthrop competed in the 13th Annual Shannon Grant Basketball Tournament at the Everett Recreation Center. This year’s event included a cookout, ice cream truck, three-point contest, an artist, backyard games, and a visit from Malden Mayor Gary Christenson.
Cambridge won the tournament in a close game with Malden. A youth from Cambridge also won the three-point contest!
“The Shannon Basketball Tournament is an important reminder of the positive outcomes we are able to achieve by bringing young members of the community and law enforcement together to enjoy some food, fun, and friendly competition” said Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria. “I am grateful for all the staff who work hard to make this event possible each year and to the young people for their willingness to engage with us.”
"The Metro Mayors Community Safety Initiative is critical to steering young people across our region away from violence, " said Chelsea City Manager Tom Ambrosino, who also serves as Chair of the Metropolitan Mayors Coalition. "It's always a pleasure to see the youth in the region come together for this tournament. The relationships we saw on display among youth, coaches, and mentors from different cities in the region remind us of the great progress we have made in this region since the start of the Shannon Grant."
“When people ask me what’s one of the best ways we can continue to move our communities forward, I always respond that it’s through partnerships especially like the ones on display at the 2023 Shannon Basketball Tournament. During this event, we had elected officials, police, and recreation department officials come together to support our youth and I am certain that relationships were formed as a result that will carry forward,” said Malden Mayor Gary Christenson. “Of course, events like these don’t happen on their own. Rather, there needs to be a catalyst and that was just what the Metropolitan Area Planning Council was, by organizing and administering this great event.”
The annual basketball tournament has been held since 2009 to bring together youth, law enforcement, and community-based organizations involved in the Metro Mayors Shannon Grant Community Safety Initiative, which is funded through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security: Office of Grants and Research. The work of this initiative supports regional approaches to combating gang violence through law enforcement, job training, and after-school programs.
For more information on the Shannon Grant or the Metro Mayors Coalition, contact Rosemary Volinski at [email protected].