Paris, Tenn.–The KFC Foundation’s Kentucky Fried Wishes program awarded the Paris Downtown Boxing Gym with a $10,000 grant, on September 9, to celebrate Colonel Sanders’ birthday.
Miranda Moon of the Paris Boxing Gym said she and her husband, Derik, the long-time coach and founder of the gym, were thrilled when the giant check arrived.
She said they thought KFC was coming to feed everybody as “a wonderful consolation prize.”
Instead, “much to our surprise”, KFC District Manager Wendell Teague of Paris, along with other KFC representatives Keyona Burton and Megan Coleman were there to award the grant.
Moon said, “Over four thousand applicants applied. Only ten were awarded. Y’all, we got the grant, and the chicken! We can’t possibly express how grateful we are to KFC Corporate for the $10,000 grant.”
Teague said his boss was so impressed the gym that he is donating $2,500 on top of the grant.
Moon told RadioNWTN the monies will go to good use. “We are going to be repairing and replacing almost all of our equipment. We will also be able to buy surplus boxing shoes to have at the gym for all of the kids and mouthguards. They get worn out so quickly.”
Moon said, “We are so honored to receive this grant on Colonel Sander’s Birthday! Thank you Kentucky Fried Wishes and thank you to our local KFC for nominating us. We aren’t the largest or loudest organization but this grant confirms that we are doing something right. Our hearts are full.”
The Henry County organization was nominated by local Paris KFC team members for the meaningful work that they do within their community and will use the funds to revitalize their boxing gym with new equipment to serve more kids.
In honor of KFC’s famous 11 herbs and spices, the Kentucky Fried Wishes program awarded 11 non-profit organizations with a $10,000 grant each to help further advance their efforts. Kentucky Fried Wishes is an extension of the KFC Foundation, which is an independent 501c3 organization that has provided over $20 million to more than 6,400 KFC restaurant employees and students through education, hardship assistance and personal finance programs.
KFC photos.