Copyright The Philadelphia Inquirer
South Philadelphia’s Vare Recreation Center gymnastics team will finally be able to afford new uniforms, equipment, and financial aid to help the young gymnasts attend competitions. After The Inquirer chronicled the team’s quest for gold — and their efforts to raise money while competing against well-funded private clubs — Philadelphians donated tens of thousands of dollars through a GoFundMe campaign. City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, who represents the district where Vare is located, also secured a $7,000 donation for new leotards from Pace-O-Matic, the Georgia-based manufacturer of controversial “skill games” — slot machine lookalikes that have appeared in convenience stores and bars across Pennsylvania. City Council has voted to ban skill games, but that law remains in limbo as the state Supreme Court and legislature debate whether and how to regulate or tax them. Meanwhile, Pace-O-Matic has been lobbying across the state to build good will with government officials. Johnson said he had read about the team’s financial struggles and started making calls. Within a few days, he secured the one-time donation. “At the end of the day, it’s about young people,” he said. “The team is representative of the grit that we have here as Philadelphians.” Michael Barley, a spokesman for Pace-O-Matic, said a portion of the company’s profits from skill games go into a charitable foundation that funded the Vare donation. The check is addressed directly to the athletic wear company to speed up the process. “When this came to our attention, it was an easy decision,” he said, adding that the team could apply again in the future for further funds. Vare Gymnastics, which has 130 participants and a nine-page waiting list, is one of only three city-run recreation centers that competes under USA Gymnastics, the national governing body for the sport. The team participates in Xcel, a program that offers more accessible competitions than the parallel track that funnels athletes to world competitions and the Olympics. Still, the sport is expensive. Between meet fees, uniforms, travel costs, and pricy gym tuition and equipment, some families couldn’t afford to send their children to competitions. The team started a GoFundMe over the summer to fundraise for new uniforms and meet fees, and raised about $5,000. Now, they have raised nearly $40,000 in total on the site, with people pitching in $5 to $5,000. “I feel really good about everything because I feel like this is a very dedicated program and finally we’re getting the support that we needed a long time ago,” said Head Coach Kristin Smerker, who built the gymnastics program from the ground up starting in 1998. “I’m overwhelmed, in a good way.” Donations have come from all over the country: Everett Sanborn, an 87-year-old Philly native who now lives in Prescott, Arizona, read about the team and mailed the city a check. “Pretty simple — was just so impressed with the program,” he explained by email. Smerker said the team plans to buy new matching uniforms, including rhinestone-covered black and pink bodysuits, gym bags, and monogrammed warm-up sets. The rec center will also purchase two new pieces of equipment they couldn’t afford previously: an air pit, a piece of safety equipment to help the gymnasts land softer; and an Xcel Silver Vaulting System, a specialized mat to match the equipment that is used in competition. When Cherokee Guido, a 19-year-old Vare gymnast who has been training with Smerker since she was two years old, heard Smerker say she would be purchasing the air pit, she wheeled around on the beam and grinned. “Cherokee has been begging to do it,” Smerker said, of practicing harder tricks on the vault. Now she’ll be able to. The team will also put aside funds for future meets and other costs, Smerker said. “We actually love what we’re doing, I feel like people can see that,” said Suadaa “Susu” Muhammad, a 19-year-old Vare gymnast. “I’m very excited. I’m very thankful.”
