Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Cedarmore Corporation, a Freeport nonprofit, and its dedicated team of volunteers, coaches, educators and other partners renewed their commitment to providing impactful and positive summer activities to local youth through its annual basketball and summer reading programs. This year marks the 30th anniversary of its Unity in the Community Basketball Tournament, run in conjunction with the Big Brothers Association.
Leading the basketball program are Mike Lisbon and Bo Harris, volunteer program directors, under the leadership of Bishop Frank A. White of Zion Cathedral, the chief executive officer of the Cedarmore Corporation. About 15 volunteer coaches, referees and other mentors also provide meaningful help to lead out trainings and games in Freeport’s Bishop Frank O. White Memorial Park. In addition to learning about basketball, the program intentionally helps develop sportsmanship, self-discipline and leadership. For Lisbon, the program’s impact far outlasts the summer.
“It’s a relationship,” he explained. “You just end up in a relationship, going to see them (the children) when they get bigger in high school, and they hopefully come back and give back. …The best part is when somebody comes back and say, ‘Coach, if it wasn’t for the program, (I) would have been somewhere else.’ That’s the best blessing.”
Alongside the basketball tournament, the Dr. Juliet White Readers Become Leaders Summer Reading Program is coordinated by Alexis Roberts, along with other educators that help children continue strengthen literacy skills and prepare them to be confident students. The basketball program have children registered from 5 to 17 years old, while the reading program has students from 4 to 18. Both programs utilize key partnerships with other Long Island-based organizations to maximize their potentials.
“Thanks to the generous support of Book Fairies, hundreds of age-appropriate books have been donated for participants,” Jacci Harris, the board chairperson of the Cedarmore Corporation, told the Herald. She added, “This summer, we are especially excited to partner with the Long Island Nets to host a two-day Basketball Skills Training Camp, giving our youth the opportunity to learn directly from experienced basketball professionals.”
Yasmine Rodrigues, the mother of one of the children in Cedarmore’s basketball program, described the organization’s offerings as ideal and affordable for families.
“I’ve been coming for two years in a row already, and I like it because people here are nice, and the price is good,” she said. “I already tried other basketball programs, and it’s very expensive and it’s only like short periods, like two or three weeks.”
In addition to these programs, which began on June 29 and will continue Monday to Thursday every week until Aug. 7, families are invited to join the Cedarmore Corporation’s Unity in the Community Family Fun Nights each Thursday at 6 p.m. with the last one on Aug. 6. During these events, various community organizations and local agencies will provide families with helpful resources, activities and light refreshments.
To learn how to get involved with the Cedarmore Corporation’s summer programs, please visit their website, cedarmore.org, or their various social media platforms.
