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Local mixed martial arts fighters will battle it out for more than just a win when they enter the cage at Rent One Park. The Fight Factory, a local mixed martial arts promotion, will raise money for the Night’s Shield Children’s Shelter of West Frankfort by hosting a fight night 7p.m. July 9 at Rent One Park. Promoter Aaron Essary said 100 percent of the proceeds from all merchandise sales would go to the shelter. The Night’s Shield is a local shelter for children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse, neglect or abandonment. Essary said he has always had an interest in helping kids in need and is happy to host an event that will help raise money for the shelter. “What The Night’s Shield has been doing is something me and my wife have been wanting to do for years, but we have just not had the funds and resources to handle such a project,” Essary said. “So I thought that if I cannot put together an organization to help kids, than I would raise money for one that is doing just that.” Essary said he chose the shelter because it was local and he believed in the vision of the organization. “I chose The Night’s Shield because the kids in this shelter really need it the most. They have been through the roughest of circumstances,” Essary said. Co-promoter Josh Cox said he is not concerned with the violent stereotypes associated with mixed martial arts and believes his company can still give back. “We are not going to let the stigma of the sport of MMA determine what we can and can’t do within this community,” Cox said. Sara Bond, co-founder of The Night’s Shield, said the money raised from the event will go directly to the kids, not toward administrative costs. “The funds go to putting food in these children’s stomachs, clothes on their backs and basically all of their necessities,” she said. Bond said part of the focus of her organization is to help children of big families who are removed from parental custody. She said her organization puts emphasis on taking in siblings from large families so they are not separated during the crisis. “I used to work as a (court-appointed special advocate) for the juvenile court system and my job was to figure out the best interests of the child and so that was my inspiration for founding this organization,” Bond said. Bond said SIU President Glenn Poshard was a big influence in helping her start the program with a $125,000 donation from his own foundation. She said the shelter needs the help now more than ever as it approaches its one-year anniversary Aug. 12. “One thing that I will never forget Glenn saying to me is ‘As long as nobody cares who gets the credit, what you’re doing will be a success,’” Bond said. “It is something that has stuck with me ever since.” Essary said he hopes to work with more charities and shelters in future events. |
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To learn more about the Night’s shield Children’s shelter. Click on the logo. |