Under-19 National Championships Participants Raise Over $700 for Charitable Programs

(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) - The final calculations have been made, and USA Boxing is pleased to announce that the 2010 Under 19 National Championships participants donated over $700 to two important charities - The Berto Dynasty Foundation Haiti Relief Fund and the Gloves Not Guns program. 

USA Boxing made the late decision to waive the entry fee for the Under 19 National Championships and those having previously submitted their fees were given the choice to donate to one of the two worthy charities or receive their money back. Nearly every participant made the generous choice to contribute their funds to one of the two charities. The generous donations of USA Boxing members added up to $500 for the Haiti Relief Fund and over $200 for the Gloves Not Guns Program. 

In addition, due to the overwhelming interest from the LBCS, boxing gyms and amateur boxing supporters USA Boxing is pleased to announce the return of the Gloves Not Guns program. USA Boxing will announce additional details on the future of the program shortly. 

The 2010 Under-19 National Championships were held just weeks after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, and several event participants chose to show their support for those suffering in Haiti as well as a USA Boxing alum, Andre Berto, by donating funds to the Berto Dynasty Foundation and Haitian relief. Berto, a four-time National Champion and 2003 World Championships bronze medalist, launched his Foundation shortly after the massive earthquake hit Haiti. He will return to the ring April 10^th, boxing in Fighting For Haiti at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida, where a percentage of all of the ticket proceeds will go to his foundation's Haitian relief efforts. 

Over 150 athletes, coaches and officials participated in the 2010 Under 19 National Championships, February 9-12 in Cincinnati, Ohio. All of the male winners from the tournament have earned berths on the 2010 Youth World Championships team. 

Anyone wishing to donate to Gloves Not Guns can contact USA Boxing's National Office at (719) 866-2300. Additional contributions for the Berto Dynasty Foundation can be sent to: Berto Dynasty Foundation, Inc., Attn: Eric Adamson, 252 Magnolia Ave. SW, Winter Haven, FL 33880-2901.

USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States' member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). It is responsible for the selection and management of the United States Olympic Boxing Team, and for the governance and oversight of USA Boxing's national organization of 38,000 members, 1,400 individual boxing clubs, and 1,600 sanctioned events annually.