2258 RegoCurion # ;z,,, S
A RESOLUTION RENAMING 10TH STREET MINI PARK TO"SONNY"WEEMS BASKETBALL PARK.
WHEREAS,Clearance "Sonny"Weems, born July 8, 1986 with cleft feet was told he might never walk or run.
He stumbled as a youngster and endured painful childhood nights in corrective shoes before finding his stride
and becoming a state "long jump" and"high jump"champion; and
WHEREAS,During Weems high school career at West Memphis Senior High School,he lead his team to the 5A
State Championship,posting a record of 68-10. Weems was also a 6-10 high jumper; and
WHEREAS, Weems played college basketball for the University of Arkansas Fort Smith and ranked as the
number one Junior College player in the Nation by Rivals.com and Street and Smith's. Weems took UAFS to
the National Championship in 2006. In two seasons at UAFS,Weems led the team to a 62-7 record; and
WHEREAS,A star on the court and a fan favorite,Weems was inducted into the UAFS Lions Hall of Fame in 2019;
and
WHEREAS, during Weems professional career, he played for multiple NBA teams, including the Denver
Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns and the Philadelphia 76ers, and starred on winning teams in the
EuroLeague,where he played on Final Four teams and was named to the First Team EuroLeague Competition;
and
WHEREAS,Weems never forgot his hometown, West Memphis, AR,where he continues to actively serve the
youth of the community by donating his time and finances. In 2012,he created and developed "Weems" Week
that features a basketball camp, back-to school supplies and backpack giveaway. The goal of the annual week-
long event is to inspire and motivate the next generation to be thinkers, movers and doers. And;
WHEREAS, in 2015, "Sonny" donated $10,000 to his hometown Parks and Recreation Department for
improvements to the 10th Street Mini Park,where he played basketball as a youth; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the West Memphis City Council hereby rename the 10th street
Mini Park to Sonny Weems Basketball Park.
READ AND ADOPTED this the Y
da of A /WN2021.
Marco :McClendon, Mayor
ATTEST: City Clerk
Sponsor: Lorraine Mohammed, City Councilwoman
RECEIVED
CJW Clerk's
er1a 419V.: