Givens and Leach launch Stan’s Dream Foundation in Hazard

Jack “Goose” Givens and Tom Leach launched Stan’s Dream Foundation in Hazard by turning Perry County Central High School into the site of a free basketball camp, a Q&A session and a community gathering built around the memory of Stan Begley. The opening day at John C. Combs Arena also brought a civic welcome from Hazard Mayor Happy Mobelini, who presented the visitors with keys to the city and honorary citizenship titles.

Stan’s Dream Foundation says it was created in memory of Carl Stanley “Stan” Begley, whose life was defined by serving, encouraging, coaching and opening doors. For Perry County, that makes the foundation more than a celebrity stop. It is a local tribute to a man remembered for helping others move forward, with the new group tying his name to a practical program for children and families in Eastern Kentucky.

The inaugural Stan’s Dream Foundation Basketball Camp was held Friday, July 24, and it welcomed students in grades K-8. Campers received free T-shirts and worked through basketball instruction focused on fundamental skills, along with drills and training sessions. Givens and Leach met with the young players throughout the camp, giving the launch a direct connection between Kentucky basketball history and the next generation in Hazard.

The setting mattered too. Perry County was founded in 1821, and Hazard carries the name of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, putting the foundation’s debut inside a county with deep historical roots of its own. Residents who took part in the launch did so through the camp, the Q&A and the community gathering, which gave local families a first look at how Stan’s Dream Foundation plans to carry Begley’s legacy forward through service and opportunity rather than a one-day celebrity appearance.