Mackenzie Forrest, a Lakewood basketball star, honed her skills as a kid on the courts at the Gold Crown Foundation, but as her parents learned this year, the foundation is about a lot more than sports.
Mackenzie was killed in car accident in March, and when a Holger and Denise Forrest were looking for ways to honor their daughter’s memory, they learned about the enrichment programs at the Gold Crown Foundation, which provide for youth in the area. So the Forrests decided that money raised for the Mackenzie Forrest Legacy Fund would go towards boosting those services.
“People think about Gold Crown as just a place for basketball or volleyball, they don’t realize all the other things behind the scenes,” Denise said.
Since 2003, the Gold Crown Foundation enrichment program has served more than 6,000 kids ages 10-18 as a creative outlet for those who might not have access to things like sewing machines, computers with photoshop or 3-D printers at home or at school. The program hosts kids from surrounding elementary and middle schools during and after school and is now partnered with Best Buy as part of its Clubhouse Network that provides some of the equipment for the program. Many of the students come from lower-income families, although the program is open to anyone and there is no cost.
Donations to the legacy fund go through a website, macforrest33.com, and the money goes directly to the Gold Crown Foundation. So far, the fund has raised about $35,000. The website sells wristbands as reminders to buckle your seat belt and to be kind to others — Mackenize was known for her big heart and acts of kindness.
Fran Baker, enrichment director for the Gold Crown Foundation, said the organization is very fortunate that the Forrests connected with them.
“When Denise and Holger came here and saw the program, they felt that there was a great need to help these kids,” Baker said. “Mackenzie had that awareness of people less fortunate and they decided they wanted to make those contributions toward the enrichment program.”
The program also has a recording studio and editing area, and a green screen for students to practice photography. It also welcomes back alumni, like Zacharia McKie, 20, who have gone through the program and now want to give back.
“I didn’t really have a place like that at home where I could work or draw,” said McKie, who is studying to become a graphic artist. “This was the next best option.”
Coordinator Chris Darby, 27, is also an alum and said he would not be where he is today if not for the enrichment program at Gold Crown. Now he gets to help youth realize their potential and figure out what they’d like to do when they get older. Some of the more popular career goals include video game programming.
“It’s cool seeing kids having a focus on what they want to do,” Darby said. “That’s the goal, to teach the kids so they can think about what they want to do when they are grown up. If we can give them the right push, the goal is accomplished right there.”
In addition to giving back to the enrichment programs, Gold Crown has also established the Mac Forrest Hustle and Heart Award that it will give out to a boy and girl at the end of its fall tip-off tournament that runs today through Sunday. The recipients will be honored at an upcoming Denver Nuggets game.
“She was a great athlete. She chose basketball over soccer because of the coaches through Gold Crown,” Denise said of Mackenzie. “They did a lot to encourage her and grow as a person. It’s a healthy environment.”