Event: “Bridging The Gap” Basketball Tournament
Place: GCI Holistic Center Gymnasium
Date: Friday March 8th, 2023
From: DeAndre Heiskell
Objective:
Our objective is to “Bridge The Gap” between GCI staff, residents, their families, and the community byway of basketball serving as the pro-social platform to highlight and embrace the different backgrounds and positions in life.
Goal & Purpose:
Our goal with this prosocial basketball tournament is to create and cultivate an environment and culture in which GCI staff and residents can come together to embrace the concept and feeling of normalcy towards which GCI is moving and advocating. Permitting GCI staff along with its residents, their families, and the community to interact cohesively within this event will exemplify unity to promote healthy and positive social skills.
Our purpose is to build transparency for all parties involved, toward aiding in the process of incarcerated men transitioning back into society.
(DeAndre Heiskell and DeAngelo Capone holding an NBA 75 Anniversary Diamond Ball)
From: DeAngelo Capone RCNC Liaison
The March 8th Bridging The Gap event was a success largely due to DeAndre Heiskell, the Restorative Citizens Normalcy Center resident who created the event and organized it along with the GCI Holistic Center Administrator Mr. Gardenhire. This was the first event of its kind which included a staff team, community team (P-League), an incarcerated adult team structured by D. Heiskell who also played, and family support of the incarcerated men. Mr. Marty Eggleston – Step International catered the event.
DeAndre Heiskell is currently preparing to facilitate another Bridging The Gap basketball tournament event that will be held on June 3rd with expected attendance by the Elyria city Mayor, basketball teams representing the Elyria Fire/Police Department, Cleveland Police Department, GCI incarcerated men, GCI staff, and family support of the incarcerated men.
I will be attending the upcoming event with the hope that not only the incarcerated men’s team get a W this time (P-League won last event) but that Grafton Correctional Institution will continue to build upon the positive momentum and family/community reunification created by such events. Habilitation through Normalcy and community healing will take our collective effort.
(Coach Marty Eggleston, DeAndre Heiskell, DeAngelo Capone)
Founder & CEO of the Tranquil Earth Alliance
