Date: January 2, 2016.
STATE of UNION MESSAGE by CEO/President – Lawrence C. Gray, Jr.
Merry Xmas and Happy New Year
I am going to be brief, because there are so many things I want to cover, It is my pleasure writing you here today, and I wish that I could tell you that the CONCEPTS and GOALS of the Association of Midnight Basketballs are no longer needed. That young adults are no longer dropping out of school, and that each graduate are fully capable of going on to a higher level of education or entering the high tech job market. I wish I could say that the DRUG CULTURE has gone away or the HOMICIDES have stopped, and everybody has a job. Unfortunately, if I told you any of these things, it would be wishful thinking on my part.
So the CONCEPTS and GOALS of the Association of Midnight Basketball are still VALET. The National Organization, Association of Midnight Basketball, Inc., is growing at a reasonable rate. As of today, we have 13 active cities . It is the responsibility of the Association of Midnight Basketball, Inc. to build a structure that can accommodate this growth. It is the task of the ASSOCIATION to set into place a Uniform National Network.
(1) Civic Groups, (2) Churches, (3) School Boards and Districts, (4) Law Enforcement, (5) Recreation Departments, (6) Chamber of Commerce, (7) Public Housing, (8) Mayor and Council, and (9) Local Businesses, you need them all.
The success of your PROGRAM will be determined by the extent to which you unite at least some of these GROUPS. It is the CONCEPT of the PUBLIC, PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP that everybody gives up a little something.
We knew from the beginning, that it would not be enough TAX DOLLARS for a Program like MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL. Every year at BUDGET time when they started looking around for PROGRAMS to CUT, well guess who would be CUT to the BONE?
But, why should a COMMUNITY UNITE for a Association of Midnight Basketball? The young adults whom we have targeted 13-25, High School Dropouts, and Jobless, traditionally have been written off by SOCIETY. Nobody really cares, adds the DRUG CULTURE to this group and the IMPACT is DEVESTAED.
But keep in mind, that not all of these young adults are BAD. Many of them are on the FENCE and would like to be a PRODUCTIVE part of the COMMUNITY. We have to show them HOW. We must MOVE with a sense of URGENCY. The slightest spark could set off a CHAIN re- action similar to what we have seen in the PAST YEARS.
I will be HONEST with you, I don’t know which I hate the most; a Denial of Justice, or Rioting and Looting. In any event, we must continue to try to get these young adults that are on the FENCE to come back into the COMMUNITY as PRODUCTIVE citizens, and we must ACT as a PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE. If we DON’T, WHO WILL? In the FINAL ANALYSIS, It doesn’t matter who you are, less we forget, and these are all our CHILDREN! The reason I am writing you is because I need your help. I realize this might be a bad time, but I am hoping you can get more involved with Association of Midnight Basketball/ MBLP/ SCARED STIFF ?
MBL of Glen Arden, Maryland, started on June 26, 1986. The 30th Anniversary for MBL is June 26, 2016. The Board of Directors will be meeting soon to come up with a plan to recognize this Historical Event, hopefully in Glen Arden, Md.? We will get the information out to all the Chapters to take part in the event.
In the mean time each chapter need to advertise your MBL Program. Take advantage of the National WEB SITE: Association of Midnight Basketball.com Keep your Chapter and Program in the News.
Please visit Association of Midnight Basketball’s WEB SITES: Association of Midnight Basketball.com and www.scaredstiff.org
I am in the process of obtaining some National Sponsors for Association of Midnight Basketball, Inc.
To help keep the organization operating. I want every chapter’s Director to go and read your Trademark License Agreement. After you read it, you will find out, that some of you are out of compliance. Please call or Email me, and tell me how you are going to get back into compliance?
I would like to congratulate Cassandra Conover and Shahid R. Shabazz for getting Petersburg, VA. Up and operating again. Thank you both.
We have had inquiries from Gary, Indiana, and Hutchinson, Kansas. Waiting on their applications. After receiving the applications. They will be sent a Trademark License Agreement. This how I know if they are serious about becoming a part of Association of Midnight Basketball, Inc. and implementing a Association of Midnight Basketball in their city.
2016 is a very important time for Association of Midnight Basketball and Association of Midnight Basketball League. We have to get back to believing in the program.
If you have ideas that will get us Media Coverage, please give me a call at (925) 457-0757.
Again, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Lawrence C. Gray, Jr.
Lawrence C. Gray, Jr.
CEO/President – Association of Midnight Basketball, Inc.