A couple whose mission was to keep kids in their community off the street though martial arts was bestowed an honor from the Joliet Township.
The Joliet Township on Jan. 17 invited the community came out for the grand opening of the Ozzie and Peggy Mitchell Center, formerly known as the Peter Claver Center, at 172 S. Chicago St.
At the momentous occasion were Peggy Mitchell, and her son, Joliet Police Sgt. Marcus Mitchell. Ozzie Mitchell, who also worked in law enforcement, died in 2019. He and his wife, who married on April 19, 1961, taught martial arts to youths and are inductees of the Illinois Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
The ribbon-cutting marked the establishment of the Ozzie and Peggy Mitchell Center as the dedicated hub for the Joliet Township’s new Violence Prevention Program, which will be financed by the Greater Illinois Reimagine Violence Prevention Services Grant.
In fact, there will be a discussion on mental wellness and gun safety in communities of color from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, in the Joliet Township office at 175 W. Jefferson St. Light refreshments will be served.
Since October, the center has been offering violence prevention programs to residents in the Joliet area, particularly to those who have suffered gun violence and provides victims the resources to get the help they need.
The program consists of outreach, trained mental health staff, victim advocacy and case management services, all aimed at reducing gun violence, according to Andrea Cambray, Director of Violence Prevention.
Falaksher Najam, who was the beneficiary of guidance provided by the Mitchell’s, said Ozzie Mitchell was a “father figure” to many in the community.
“Growing up without a father in the city of Joliet was rough,” Najam said. “He taught me much more than how to defend myself against bullies, but a level of commitment, dedication, discipline, hard work, obedience and perseverance that would carry with me for the rest of my life.”
Ozzie Mitchell was the Executive Director of the Peter Claver Center, that offered tutoring, food baskets, a food pantry, youth mentoring programs and provided a training facility for inner-city youth by keeping them off the streets. Mitchell’s son said his father’s passion was to help those in need.
Ozzie Mitchell also was a martial arts instructor internationally and founder of the Shorei go ju Martial Arts Academy.
