SANFORD, Fla.---

“A lot of you are no strangers to this house,” Britt Henderson said as the third annual Boys 2 Men Social event began.  “This facility is very important to the Goldsboro community, but the entire city of Sanford.”

The house Henderson spoke of is the Westside Community Center that serves the city of Sanford’s youth.  Henderson is the recreation supervisor for the building and has helped gather a group of adult and young men from the area for an evening of inspiration.   

“We’re here to be able to do what needs to be done for the betterment of our community and let people see you,” Seminole County Commissioner and former Seminole High School football coach Kerry Wiggins said to the crowd.

You won’t go far in Sanford without seeing Henderson and Wiggins working together on events like this aimed at creating a better future for the cities' youth.

“Our goal was to bring young men and young boys in the community together,” Henderson said.  “And just share testimonies and stories of how youth mentoring works and how we have to get back to that village.”

If it takes a village, this evening was proof that the philosophy works.  Representatives from programs like My Brother’s Keeper, Westside Youth Mentoring, and Young Men of Promise shared stories of how these initiatives have helped them and others.  Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma talked about the importance of repairing the relationship between communities and the police.

“This shows that hard work, dedication and effort actually works,” Lemma said to the crowd of over 100 men and boys.  “I will tell you as men, we’re tough guys, what I see in this room is a word that we have become a little uncomfortable with when we say it is love.  What is happening in here is a demonstration of love of one another.  And I’ll tell you this world needs a little more love than ever before.”

The final speaker of the evening was former Seminole High School, UCF, and now Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabriel Davis.

“You know I’ve had that dream since I’ve been in this building to be in the NFL,” Davis remembered in an interview before he took the stage.  “Since I was 9 years old, the fact I’m going to be talking to kids in the same building I used to be in chasing that same dream is surreal for sure.”

Davis has been coming to the Westside Community Center since he was a boy.  Britt Henderson remembered it like it was yesterday.

“Gabe Davis has one of the most powerful stories as growing up as a young kid and the struggles he’s been through the obstacles he’s overcome,” Henderson said.  “I’ve seen Gabe grow from a 7-8 year old kid here at Westside Community Center to a fine young man now.”

When Davis first arrived at the Westside Community Center, Henderson jokes he wasn’t the football player you see today.

“First day coming in to the Boys and Girls Club Gabe was crying,” Henderson said.  “He was scared he didn’t want to do any sports.”

It didn’t take long for that to change.  After one of the best careers by a wide receiver in UCF history, Davis was tied for second among rookie wide receivers last year with 7 touchdowns.  In Davis’ speech he credited his mother Alana Davis for his work ethic.

“I was never the most talented player, I wasn’t the guy everyone knew about,” Davis said.  “But I knew over time if I did the things I watched my mother do, always try to out work the next guy good things would come.”

Davis was raised in a single parent home with his brother Jordan, who is now a tight end at UCF, and his sister who is now studying to be a nurse.  He said they wouldn’t be where they are today without the toughness their mother instilled.

“That took a lot of sacrifice, a lot of time, she did it, she put her head down and worked and it eventually worked out for her,” Davis said.  “She showed me what work looked like, so that’s what I wanted to do for her.”

Davis told the crowd his mother is his “why” and his motivation for playing football.  He believes finding yours is the key to success in whatever field you choose.

“If you have a dream go get it,” Davis said.  “I feel like if people put in their mind the only way they lose is if they quit and you can be successful if you put it in your mind to be.  That’s my biggest message, don’t point the finger at anybody else on why you aren’t where you want to be.  Give it your all and you will end up where you want to be.”