TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Giving Tallahassee's youth a safer alternative was the focus of this weekend's community kickball game at Lee Park.
The goal is to help end violence in our community.
In 2020, nonprofit organizations are looking to change the number of violent crimes we saw in 2019.
"If you giving love, you're not giving hate. That's what violence stems from. Hate," said Whitfield Leland, Community Advisor/ Coordinator for LinkUp.
The "Kick the Violence" community kickball game on Sunday helped to raise awareness toward ending violence in Tallahassee.
Nonprofit organizations such as LinkUp, Boys and Girls of Tomorrow with Purpose and Stop the Violence Against our Youth all came together for an exciting way to keep kids out of trouble.
"Stopping the violence is something that we embedded in the minds but we are trying to reform the love and the bondship -- and hoping that in reforming that -- we'll stop the violence," said Leland.
The Tallahassee community saw almost 70 shootings in 2019 more than a dozen of them being fatal.
Putting together a weekend kickball event is something Patrick Denson says will hopefully help prevent these numbers from getting any higher.
"We are just trying to bring love, peace and joy back to the community," said Patrick Denson, Founder of Stop the Violence Against our Youth.
When Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell took on his new role he spoke heavily on ending the violence in Tallahassee.
Players on the field Sunday say they want to see more events like this in the Capitol City.
"I actually want to see it as often as possible. Even if we did it every weekend, I'd be down to support it," said Tryton Swigart-Johnson, Team Captain.
Kicking violence out of the picture and inspiring everyone involved to make a difference.
"It's a good cause. We are here to stop the violence -- we're kicking against it. That's our word. We just want to come out and do anything we can just to support our community the best way we can because that's what it's all about," said lton Hall, President of Boys and Girls of Tomorrow with Purpose.
People at the game said they would love to see more community events to help get kids off the streets and onto the field.
