Simon “One Punch” Carr, boxer and CEO of Punchline Clothing, is having a Grays Ferry block party Saturday in partnership with Consolation Baptist Church.
Harvest Fest, which runs from noon to 4 p.m. at 2500 Wharton Street, features live music, free food, candy and pony rides.
Its aims to help raise awareness and quell community violence by providing a “safe place” for at-risk youth with positive alternative activities.
The cause is close to Carr’s heart. “The first time I walked in [to a boxing gym], I realized I’d never
been around any male influences because I never had a father,” he said. “Boxing gave me a support system and offered me a platform to see the world and have a voice to speak. This is why I feel responsible to give back – someone gave me a talent that gave me a better way of life and a voice.”
He said that, in the same way boxing provided him with strong male figures previously lacking from his life, he hopes to serve as a role model for youth who have none. “I want to show young people it is possible to achieve your dreams, no matter where you come from and what obstacles you’re confronted with. I’m living proof of that.”
The rain date for Harvest Fest is Nov. 5.
