Nov. 16, 2012

KEENfest Award Ceremony Photo Gallery (courtesy of Maggie Harrison) | KEEN Event Photo Gallery from May 5th

New York, N.Y. - On Thursday night, the Fordham Athletic Department and the Fordham women's basketball team were honored by the Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN) organization with the KEEN New York Proud Partner Award for 2012. The special recognition was accepted by Fordham's assistant women's basketball coach Salee Johnson-Edwards at the KEENfest event, the program's annual fundraising gala, held at Helen Mills on West 26th Street. KEEN is a non-profit organization that provides one-on-one recreational activities for children and young adults with mental and physical disabilities.

The KEEN New York Proud Partner Award is presented in appreciation of a group's leadership, dedication and continuing support for KEEN New York, where the group's volunteers serve as coaches for KEEN's young athletes with disabilities.

The Fordham student-athletes have developed a strong partnership with KEEN New York over the past year, sending dedicated volunteers who not only helped KEEN New York to continue to grow in the group's first expansion program in the Bronx, but also furthered KEEN's reach in events like the upcoming KEEN Night at the Rose Hill Gym in correlation with the women's basketball game against Manhattan College on Wednesday, November 28th.

The Fordham women's basketball team sent a number of players to a function in May, where members of the Fordham squad were paired up in groups of two student-athletes per child and engaged in recreational sports with the KEEN participants as well as working on various arts and crafts projects.

The goal was to provide the youngsters with companionship and allow them to partake in physical fitness activities. This is consistent with KEEN's mission to foster the self-esteem, confidence, skills and talents of its athletes through non-competitive activities, allowing young people facing even the most significant challenges to meet their individual goals.

To find out more about KEEN, visit their website at www.keennewyork.org.