Presenter
Presented by Mr. Motznik
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WHEREAS, Jim "Shorty" Gruber is a lifelong resident of the community of Carrick in the City of Pittsburgh where he and Barbara, his wife of 43 years have raised their four children: Pamela, Jimmy, Jeffery and Jennifer; and
WHEREAS, encouraged by his father, an amateur boxer, Jim trained in Lawrenceville and in 1958 at the age of seventeen won the Golden Gloves, an amateur boxing tournament established in 1923 to assist young boxers and promote amateur boxing that now has over 30 franchises throughout the United States; and
WHEREAS, Jim's interest in the sport continued as he shepherded his twin sons to their own Golden Gloves in the mid-1980s, and after his retirement by establishing the Carrick Community Boxing Academy five years ago; and
WHEREAS, utilizing an extensive network of friends and supporters Mr. Gruber has been able to equip and operate a no frills boxing gym in donated space on the second floor of a building on Brownsville Road; available for use by anyone who wishes to join; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Gruber and seven volunteer coaches serve anywhere from 15 to 25 people a night ranging in age from 9 to thirty-four; providing discipline, training and support in an environment that was awarded the 2005 gold medal for the Most Outstanding Club by the Allegheny Mountain Association of United States Amateur Boxing, Inc.;
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NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh recognizes Jim "Shorty" Gruber for his dedication to the sport of boxing and to his neighborhood, leading by example as he donates time and energy to those in need of his expertise.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare Tuesday, March 28, 2006, to be "Jim 'Shorty' Gruber Day" in the City of Pittsburgh.