Team Ortiz Hosts Annual Event
Christmas came early for hundreds of children at the 29th Annual Merchant Toy Drive with the Kid Gloves Boxing Foundation in Simi Valley, Calif.
I visited this yearly event held Saturday night at the Kid Gloves Boxing Gym in the Simi Valley Town Center.
Former pro fighter Robert Ortiz Sr. hosted this huge toy giveaway along with his son and pro boxer Robert “Scrappy” Ortiz Jr. and grandson and pro fighter Timothy Ortiz. Yes, Team Ortiz is going on five generations of being in the sweet science! The family is well known in the community and they also promote boxing shows through their Scraptime Promotions. And Timmy Ortiz has also created his own line of clothing and hats with his Killers Only Company.
And to usher in the holidays, the Ortiz family and their dedicated team of volunteers welcomed in a steady stream of kids and pre-teens with tons of gifts displayed stretching across the gym floor. The toys were donated by customers, vendors, sponsors and others in the community. Families lined up outside the gym doors as the tots took their turns picking out their favorite toy. There was also several bicycles given away during the December 21 event held in the spacious Kid Gloves Boxing Gym.
As the boys and girls carefully walked through the lineup of bright colored dolls, cars, games, basketballs, soccer balls, stuffed animals and more, their smiles lit up the room. Many families’ budgets are stretched thin especially during the Christmas season so this toy giveaway is something they all appreciate.
The Ortiz family has continued to give back to those in the community and enjoyed greeting the large crowd entering their own “Santa’s Workshop” inside the boxing gym. Robert Sr. thanked all of the volunteers who have put in countless hours to ensure a well-organized and fun evening for the kids and their parents.
I chatted with James Espinoza (The Veteran Mentor Project) who Robert also thanked for giving his time, effort and toy donation for the fiesta. They also mentioned the Sabot Foundation for lending support too.
“Robert led the charge and the turnout is amazing,” Espinoza said as we watched the youngsters choose their toys. “Robert really does a lot in our community!”
Robert Sr. is an ex-pro fighter, body building champ and U.S. Marine and through his Kid Gloves nonprofit continues to enrich the community in and out of boxing.
The gym offers classes for kids and adults, senior boxing, MMA, kickboxing, women’s self defense and more. There are two boxing rings featured in the room that showcases posters, photos, and displays from the Ortiz family’s five generations in the sport.
Robert Jr. showed us the Wall of Fame in another section of the gym. Decades of training, sparring sessions and pro bouts lined the walls. Team Ortiz has worked with just about everyone in Southern California boxing circles and their passion for boxing is evident. Both father and son (Robert Sr. and Robert “Scrappy” Jr.) fought at the legendary Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Scrappy also was a sparring partner for many champions including Manny Pacquiao and Prince Naseem Hamed and was in many camps through the years. And now his own son Timmy has also followed in his family’s footsteps as a professional prizefighter. Boxing is definitely in their DNA.
Through their nonprofit foundation they can combine their love of the fight game with helping others in need with special events like their annual Toy Giveaway.
The gym was bustling as the excited kids got their chance to receive a brand new toy. From babies to pre-teens, all got a gift just in time for Christmas. All in all, it was truly a knockout night at the Kid Gloves Boxing Gym!
Photos by Michele Chong