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The Buddy Fund

Bruce Conner, Owner of Massage Envy - Sunset Hills and Board of Director of The Buddy Fund

Kirkwood resident Bruce Connor has the enviable job of buying basketballs for kids in his Board of Director’s role for The Buddy Fund.

The Buddy Fund was started in 1962 by Cardinal Baseball player Buddy Blattner. “Buddy knew that keeping kids active after school was a way to keep them out of trouble,” stated Bruce. “So, Buddy started buying shoes, gloves, bats, and balls for underserved children in St. Louis.” Today, The Buddy Fund provides new sporting equipment for over 75 recipient organizations around St. Louis. The Buddy Fund Executive Director Tim Murch humbly states, “Think about what one basketball will do; what one soccer ball can do. We provide a dozen balls that affect hundreds and thousands of kids.” Tim stated the cold facts, “80% of African American males that grow up in the city and don’t graduate from high school are either dead or incarcerated by the time they are 24.” Bruce noted, “If we don’t keep these kids active and give them an out, we will lose them.” Tim said that officers and administrators from the recipient organizations like KLIFE, Live for Life Academy, Boys Hope Girls Hope often comment about how The Buddy Fund doesn’t just change lives; it saves lives.

Through incredible partnerships with Rawlings, Markwort, and Riddell, Bruce can purchase new sports equipment at wholesale prices. “We can double our purchasing power,” said Bruce. It's an understatement to say that the recipient organizations need more help. “We can’t do enough,” Tim added. “When you go into these organizations, the kids are locked in on you. They know you are part of their hope. They get it. They are so incredibly grateful and appreciative,” Tim said. “That’s why we do what we do.”

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