The Park Hill Pirates youth sports organization is once again hosting their "Park Hill Day of Legends" fall camp celebration hosting over 60 vendors, food trucks, a Colorado Avalanche field hockey giveaway, football scrimmages, cheerleader performances, an award ceremony and live music by Official Denver Broncos DJ Squizzy Taylor.
Taking place at Park Hill's Skyland Park this Saturday, August 12 from 9-5 p.m., the community celebration is meant to champion the legacy of Park Hill and its community members.
"I am a product of this organization. And if it wasn't for them, there's no telling where I would be," said Park Hill Pirates board chair Herman White. "Our kids struggle with multiple aspects of life. so this is a positive outlet in which we allow the kids to participate and help in keeping them active."
In partnership with the CU Boulder & the Youth Violence Prevention Department of Denver, Denver Police Department - District 2 and Kroenke Sports, the annual community gathering will feature a kid zone with bounce houses, snow cones, hair cuts, face painting, and a back-to-school giveaway.
The Colorado Avalanche will be giving out free street hockey sticks and balls at the event from 11-3 p.m.
What originally began as an internal celebration has now become a community wide event for the past three years.
Founded during the Civil Rights Movement, the organization hopes to be instrumental in helping build deeper bonds among a community that has seen gentrification, displacement and neighborhood struggles like the ongoing Park Hill golf course debate.
"The Park Hill Golf Course affected our community and divided us," White said. "Since we've been in the community contributing significantly for many years, this is our way of bridging the gaps and making sure that we can build relationships based on commonalities instead of our differences."
The celebration will also honor local Park Hill community leaders with awards and inductions into the Pirates Hall of Honor.
Here are this year's honorees and award recipients:
- Freddie Houston Leadership & Legacy Award - Recipient: Muriel Williams-Thompson
- Namon Mack Leadership & Legacy Award - Recipient: Portia Prescott
- Tony Wells Leadership & Legacy Award - Recipient: Rudy Carey
- Glenda "Rose" Stephens Leadership & Legacy Award - Recipient: Leslie Williams
- The Living Legend Award - Recipient: Lendale "Showcase" White
- Davarie Armstrong "Good Neighbor" Award - Recipient: John Bailey
- Pirates Hall of Honor 2023 Inductees: State Sen. James Coleman, Jamal Clements, Korie Askew, Norman Harris, Gilbert E. Brame Jr.
