Toledo Ohio TYROs

A group of TYROs in the Toledo, Ohio area recently participated in the fifth annual “Dunkin’ 4 Donations” charity event held December 21 at Scott High School’s Ben E. Williams Field House.  Founded under the brand, “Hands Over Hearts”, the basketball charity event is held each year to raise money and collect toys for local shelters and less fortunate and needy families.

RIDGE case manager and facilitator Willie Knighten helped to organize a group of nearly 20 TYRO men to either participate or attend the event.  The TYROs, along with other local men, not only gave back in the form of donations, but also demonstrated to the city’s urban youth population what a good role model looks like – something desperately needed for many of today’s inner city youth.

The event was featured in “The Sojourner’s Truth“, a local Toledo publication.  Society editor Carla Yvette writes, “Former gang leader Willie Knighten, Facilitator and case manager for The Ridge Project, an organization that specializes in healthy families, responsible fatherhood and healthy marriage along with men of TYRO, an accountability community for ex-offenders, says they were honored to be a part of the event when approached by organizers and donated over