Quincy men raise funds to restore the Glory of the Penny Denise Lewis Courts

QUINCY — At the corner of 9^th and Elm stands a basketball court. The Penny Denise Lewis Community Basketball Court.

Currently, the fence is broken, water pools on the pavement, and small plants sprout in the cracks. It’s often empty.

Years ago, the scene was different.

Three-on-three basketball tournaments took over the corner and chatter emanated from the courts well after dark. “They took the lights out years ago, because when we was kids, the lights didn’t go off until 12 o’clock, and we was out here,” said Alan Hickman.

Now, Hickman and Cecil Weathers are raising money on behalf of the Penny Denise Lewis Foundation to clean the court up.

“A few years ago… this area was packed,” said Hickman. “That’s what we’re trying to get back to, but first and foremost, a safe location for the kids to play.”

“This is the focal point of the North end,” said Weathers. “Lot of family history of basketball players coming through here. The legacy is community based, but it transcends through the high school, college, junior college. Prominent families that played basketball used this court.”

Additionally, the men want kids to have a safe place to play, to hang out, to be a part of the community.

The courts, after all, are dedicated to a woman with quite a legacy: Miss Penny Denise Lewis. Lewis was Hickman’s sister, and the courts (originally built in the 1960s,) were dedicated to her memory in 2002.

Lewis was an excellent basketball player at Quincy High School, and later was the first Black coach at Quincy University, serving as the women’s basketball and volleyball coach. Lewis served on multiple boards in the community. She died while hiking in Mount Zion National Park in 2001.

“She put so much into this community,” said Hickman.

The Foundation is hoping to raise around $25,000, to resurface the courts, replace the backboards, install bleachers, repair the fences, and landscape the area. Hickman would also like to repaint the logo honoring his sister at center court.

Financial contributions can be made to Beers Tax Service, or by contacting Hickman at pdl1966.ah@gmail.com. The men are looking for physical assistance as well: new backboards are waiting at Hickman’s house for someone to help with the installation.

“We have to catch up with the women,” said Hickman. “If [Penny] was here, the courts would have been done [already].”