Giving back

Although he is an accomplished NBA player, former IU and Bloomington High School North standout Jared Jeffries put his fame aside and came back home for a week.\nJeffries held a weeklong camp for about 100 children at the Banneker Community Center, 930 W. 7th St., and ended the week by giving a $4,000 contribution to the City of Bloomington Parks and \nRecreation Department.\n“I think a lot of times Parks and (Recreation) have a hard time focusing,” Jeffries said. “People take for granted that even though they are a profit company their money isn’t as sufficient as they’d like.”\nBesides the money, Jeffries had another reason for doing the camp all week.\n“There was one kid here that looked just like me when I was that age,” Jeffries said. “It was cool to see how these kids have grown up and matured (as well).” \nTo further enhance the funding benefitting the Parks and Recreation Department, Jeffries sold $10 T-shirts. He also participated in drills with the campers and dunked for them on the last day of the camp. \nAfterward, Jeffries received flowers and an award for his contribution, which he decided to share with camp director and Banneker facility coordinator Leslie Brinson. \n“He definitely deserves this award, because he gives a lot to his community when he doesn’t have to and understands the benefit of the Parks Department,” Brinson said.\nAlso on hand was Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan, who was grateful \nfor Jeffries’ contributions.\n“This is literally a local guy who still has Bloomington in his heart and has not forgotten his roots and has been awfully generous with us,” Kruzan said.\nJeffries’ mother Cecelia Jeffries was also at the camp. She said she was proud of her son for giving back to the community.\n“It is fantastic, and we know it will go to a good cause, and Bloomington is a fantastic community and this is home for him,” Cecelia Jeffries said.\nEven though the focus of the camp was the kids who were enrolled, Jeffries closed by talking about the IU basketball program and the positive strides it is taking.\n“I think (the basketball program’s direction) is positive, and I had a chance to sit down and talk to and have lunch with Kelvin Sampson,” Jeffries said. “I also think right now college basketball is so equal that you can always compete for \na championship.”