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Crawford wants to promote healthy lifestyle
James Crawford, 48, of Lower Peach Tree, wants to promote a healthy lifestyle in his community. He has established a non-profit motivational program called "Learning For Life, Inc." He wants to organize a health challenge. "I want to challenge all the people to lead a healthy lifestyle," Crawford said. "Type One diabetes, for kids normally under the age of 20, and Type Two, for people especially over the age of 40, is ripe for people in the African American community. "With me playing sports, I recognize the need for a healthy lifestyle, and I feel obligated to make sure I can create a program with nurses and people to do the weigh in and talk to them about nutrition." A native of Lower Peach Tree, he graduated from Pine Hill High School. He earned a basketball scholarship with Livingston University (now the University of West Alabama) and then transferred to Cumberland College in Williamsburg, Ky. He traveled to Australia as part of a collegiate all-star team and then returned to the continent to play basketball professionally. He would go on to live 27 years in Australia. He returned to Lower Peach Tree in December 2005. "I worked with at-risk and disadvantaged young kids when I was playing basketball in Australia," Crawford said. "…I knew when I got back here I had to try to do something to empower the young people and show them there is a different way to do things. You can be in a small town and have some of the better things in life." The healthcare course will run on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday mornings for eight weeks. "As long as they attend at least one of those programs at least once-aweek, they are eligible for an incentive prize," he said. Kids today spend more time surfing the internet and watching television. "I know I can make a positive change in someone's life and even prevent them from getting Type Two diabetes just by doing these simple things. I feel this program would bring awareness to it. Nothing I'm doing is innovative. It's just something everybody should be doing." Crawford's first project is the revitalization of the community center. "We put down a state-of-the art basketball surface that is also for tennis and volleyball." There is also a half-mile walking track around the basketball court and the softball field. In addition, approximately four to five acres have been reclaimed for a park. He would like to eventually fence in the area for security purposes. Crawford has not yet sought out grants or help from governmental agencies. "It's not about the financial gain for myself or anyone," he said. Crawford is self-employed. "I don't mind contributing money to get started. It's something for everyone. I'll take the first step, but I want people to get on and just keep it going. "…Lower Peach Tree gets a lot of negative media coverage. Some of it is wanted, but we do have some more positive things to counter that. This is a way to hopefully change our community. "…Every dollar we receive is spent on community projects. We prefer people to donate in-kind services" so Crawford doesn't necessarily need cash. He stressed that he wants his activities to be "transparent." In addition, Crawford has worked with Wilcox County and the Youth Drug Prevention Coalition. A three-on-three basketball tournament, one of the biggest in the surrounding counties, was held in May, Crawford said. The "Learning For Life" program is not a "flash-in-the pan," he said. "I want to establish programs that are effective and hopefully ongoing. I don't like to do anything that is going to be shortlived. He wants to also keep his four daughters active, "keeping them involved in sports and let them understand the importance of fitness and participation. It's easy for me because that's what I did. Other parents have not necessarily been in a sport environment." Once kids and adults get hooked into an athletic lifestyle, they learn the benefits, he said.
Crawford can be contacted by E-mail at crawford894868@bellsouth. net.
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