Jo-Anne and Noah Newman soon will open a present to the Burnettown community.

"Dec. 1 will be our grand opening," Mrs. Newman said of North Augusta Boxing Club's new home on South Carolina Highway 421 in Burnettown. "That evening we will be hosting the South Carolina Silver Gloves Boxing Championship."

The new boxing club has been the couple's dream for many years.

"We've been in a capital campaign for 10 years and under construction for 13 months," she said.

Not only do children who come to the boxing club learn the sport, they also receive tutorial help. The titles won by boxing club members in two decades are many, and some of the young boxers have gone on to professional careers.

Finishing touches are being put on the building. A lack of funds had held up the grading and paving of a parking lot. The Knox Foundation provided $50,000 for that project, and an additional $20,000 came from the Aiken County Council through the parks and recreation accommodations tax, she said.

Sidewalks were poured Wednesday.

The heating and air conditioning should be installed soon.

The Knox Foundation has been a longtime supporter of the North Augusta Boxing Club. In fact, its trustees have given so much support that Mrs. Newman said they considered naming the center after the foundation.

"They recommended having it named the Noah Newman Center," Mrs. Newman said.

However, Mr. Newman declined. Instead, the building will be named for the Police Athletic League that the boxing club is associated with.

Mrs. Newman said the boxing club has good working relationships with the North Augusta and Burnettown police departments.

She hopes to begin moving into the building by the end of the month.

Reach Charmain Z. Brackett at czbrackett@hotmail.com.