Promoting Peaceful Unity, a new nonprofit organization launched by Ray Brown of Groton and Darnell Williams of Ledyard, took over Washington Park on July 26. The organization’s first ever Summer Classic brought together hundreds of community members for a day of fun, games, music, and a basketball tournament, born out of an idea the duo hatched about a year ago.
“We wanted to implement a lot of activities for the youth and adults as well during different times of the year,” Williams said a few weeks before the event. “We want to promote a peaceful atmosphere in the community. It’s for everyone to come together and have a good time without having to worry about looking over your shoulder. We want to provide a safe environment to perform safe activities.”
“Life in general is what brought us to start this organization and promote peace and unity,” Brown added. “There’s been a lot of hardships in both of our lives, and this is a positive thing that we’re doing. We’re trying to step forward in this neck of the woods, in New London County, to show that we are here to do something for these children.”
With a goal of creating a peaceful atmosphere and affordable activities, Williams said the first Summer Classic was successful, thanks in part to great sunny weather on Saturday and a good community turnout.
“As far as [basketball] teams, we didn’t have the turnout that we expected we were going to have,” Williams said, referring to the 3-on-3 basketball tournament. “We only had 7 adult and 2 youth teams.”
Williams continued. “Seven of the nine teams were from the Norwich area…One [of the 7] was as far out as Lisbon. I don’t know what happened with the Groton and New London participation, but there wasn’t any participation from them except for two.”
He added that the winning basketball team, which won the $2,000 top prize for the adult division, was the Norwich team named RTB.
“[The event] went great for Saturday but then on Sunday, we got washed out,” Williams said, referring to Sunday’s thunderstorms. The rain date for the second day of the tournament is 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16.
Williams said he is looking forward to putting together a dance and step competition by the end of the year. He’s looking for interested, local dance and step teams in the area, as well as volunteers.
“That’s what Peaceful Unity is all about,” Williams said, “networking within the community to have positive events going on for the youth to enjoy.”
For more information or to sign up for the basketball tournament, call 860-984-5573 or 860-501-7338, or send e-mail to dnycwilliams@yahoo.com, brownray92@yahoo.com, or makewayproductions@yahoo.com.