6 2 0 2 JULY
A LETTER FROM OUR FOUNDER Dear Friends, Partners and Supporters, When we started Leave It Better, we had a simple idea: bring people together through basketball and find ways to make a positive difference along the way. This summer in Bermuda, we had the chance to see that idea come to life through the inaugural PLAY IT FORWARD camp. And what a week it was! Basketball was at the center of the programming and there was plenty of it—drills, competitions, scrimmages. But some of the best moments happened in between the activities on the court. The campers got to know more about our counselors—where they went to school, what it’s like to play basketball in college, how they handled challenges, and what they hoped to do next. Those conversations gave everyone a chance to connect beyond basketball. We cleaned up Elbow Beach together. We shared meals. We learned a new sport badminton! We laughed, competed, asked questions, and learned from one another. By the end of the week, it felt less like a group of counselors and campers and more like a group of friends. That was probably the biggest takeaway for me. We went to Bermuda hoping to share our knowledge with the young people we met, but we came home having learned just as much ourselves. We learned the importance of simply making connections. Of being open to new people, a new place, and a different culture. And we were reminded that making a difference doesn’t always require a grand plan. Sometimes it starts with showing up, getting involved, sharing what you know, listening to someone else’s story, and genuinely caring about the people around you. Most importantly, the relationships didn’t end when the week did. Our counselors and campers exchanged contact information and will stay in touch. We hope those connections continue to grow and that our counselors can be a resource, a sounding board, or simply a familiar face for these young people as they think about what comes next. We’re incredibly grateful to the Bermuda Basketball Association, Bermuda College, The Fidelis Partnership, our other community partners, and everyone who welcomed us so warmly. You didn’t just help us put on a summer camp. You helped create an experience that meant a great deal to all of us—one that gave us great memories, lasting relationships, and a foundation to build on for the future. We went to Bermuda hoping to leave something positive behind. We came home realizing Bermuda left something with us, too. And maybe that’s the best kind of Leave It Better experience there is. The following pages capture the people, the experiences, and the connections that brought PLAY IT FORWARD to life. Hopefully you enjoy watching our week unfold. With gratitude,
JASON FISHER P.S. We’re thrilled to share that the Bermuda Basketball Association has invited us back next summer. We can’t wait to build on what we started and PLAY IT FORWARD in Bermuda again.
OUR MISSION. LEAVE IT BETTER WAS INSPIRED BY NEW ZEALAND'S LEGENDARY ALL BLACKS RUGBY TEAM, WHERE EVERY PLAYER IS TAUGHT THAT THEY ARE ONLY A TEMPORARY CUSTODIAN OF THE JERSEY. THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IS SIMPLE: LEAVE IT BETTER THAN THEY FOUND IT. WE BELIEVE THAT SAME RESPONSIBILITY EXTENDS FAR BEYOND SPORTS. IT GUIDES EVERYTHING WE DO THROUGH PLAY IT FORWARD - TO LEAVE EVERY PLACE, EVERY PERSON, AND EVERY OPPORTUNITY BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT. OUR INAUGURAL TRIP TO BERMUDA WAS ABOUT MORE THAN BASKETBALL. THROUGH SPORT, EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, MENTORSHIP, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE, OUR GOAL WASN'T SIMPLY TO HOST A CAMP: IT WAS TO CREATE A LASTING IMPACT. BECAUSE WE BELIEVE SUCCESS ISN'T MEASURED BY THE GAMES WE PLAY, BUT BY THE LIVES WE TOUCH AND THE COMMUNITIES WE HELP STRENGTHEN.
THE GAME THAT BROUGHT US TOGETHER Basketball was the starting point for everything we did. Through skill development, drills, competitions, and teamwork, campers built confidence, challenged themselves, and discovered that success comes as much from encouraging one another as it does from improving individually.
PREPARING FOR TOMORROW SUCCESS TODAY REQUIRES MORE THAN ATHLETIC ABILITY. CAMPERS EXPLORED TECHNOLOGY AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, DISCOVERING HOW INNOVATION IS TRANSFORMING EDUCATION, CAREERS, AND THE FUTURE OF WORK. BY COMBINING CURIOSITY WITH CRITICAL THINKING, THEY GAINED INSIGHTS AND SKILLS THAT WILL SERVE THEM LONG After THe bALLL STOPS BOUNCING.
Thank you to Mike Hay, Lead Business Architect from The Fidelis Partnership, for sharing his valuable insight.
PUTTING oUR MISSION INTO ACTION OUR MISSION also CAME TO LIFE THROUGH SERVICE. TOGETHER, CAMPERS, COUNSELORS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HELPED CARE FOR BERMUDA'S BEAUTIFUL COASTLINE, DEMONSTRATING THAT LEADERSHIP MEANS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE COMMUNITIES WE SHARE. EVERY SMALL ACT REFLECTED OUR COMMITMENT TO LEAVE EVERY PLACE BETTER THAN WE FOUND it.
ONE GAME. ONE COMMUNITY. BASKETBALL CREATED FRIENDSHIPS THAT REACHED FAR BEYOND THE COURT. THROUGH SCRIMMAGES WITH BERMUDA NATIONAL TEAMS, SHARED EXPERIENCES, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, WE WITNESSED THE POWER OF SPORT TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER ACROSS CULTURES, GENERATIONS, AND COMMUNITIES.
MEMORIES THAT LAST THE WEEK CONCLUDED WITH LAUGHTER, GREAT FOOD, NEW FRIENDSHIPS, AND UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS AT HORSESHOE BAY. AS CAMPERS, COUNSELORS, VOLUNTEERS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS CAME TOGETHER, WE CELEBRATED NOT ONLY WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE-AND THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING WE HOPE WILL CONTINUE FOR YEARS TO COME.
live crew many thanks to tulani and the horseshoe bay zing beach bbq! for hosting play it forward families for an ama
A special thank you to Rosetta Landy from The Fidelis Partnership for her enthusiasm & support. congrats on a well-deserved Leave It Better Award!
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S E C I O VFROM THE COMMUNITY We are deeply appreciative of this opportunity and the positive impact it has had on our boys. Their families join us in expressing their heartfelt thanks for an experience that will leave a lasting impression." ~ Patrina O'Connor-Paynter, Managing Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bermuda
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Thank YOU for bringing this opportunity to Bermuda for our young players. My son even said that this camp was better than the Boston Celtics Jr. Academy that he's attended the last two years!”
~Jennifer Thuell
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The camp was awesome and perfectly suited for the campers. The pace and progression of the learning was ideal and well facilitated by the counselors. The attitude and conduct of your team really project the philosophy of "handing the jersey back in a better state." ~ Ralph Scott Thank you for organizing such a fantastic basketball camp. My daughters thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the camp. They came home each day excited about what they had learned, the friendships they made, and the positive encouragement they received from the coaches and volunteers. It was wonderful to see their confidence and love for the game continue to grow throughout the week. Your commitment to not only developing basketball skills but also teaching teamwork, sportsmanship, and giving back to the community is something we greatly admire." ~ Garth Bell & Family
THANK YOU TO those WHO HELPED US PLAY IT FORWARD
WE CAME TO BERMUDA TO SHARE OUR LOVE OF BASKETBALL. WE CAME TO BERMUDA TO SHARE OUR LOVE OF BASKETBALL. WE LEFT WITH NEW FRIENDSHIPS, UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES, AND A DEEPER APPRECIATION FOR THE POWER OF COMMUNITY. IF THIS WEEK TAUGHT US ANYTHING, IT'S THAT LASTING IMPACT ISN'T MEASURED BY WINS OR LOSSES, IT'S MEASURED BY THE LIVES WE TOUCH AND THE DIFFERENCE WE LEAVE BEHIND.
LEAVE IT BETTER.
PLAY IT FORWARD.
THIS WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING. SEE YOU NEXT SUMMER, BERMUDA!