Mashpee: Rumble on the Rez back on Cape Cod to help bring awareness to substance abuse

Let's get ready to Rummmmble!

The Rumble on the Rez, an annual event (since 2006) in Mashpee geared toward bringing awareness to the problem of substance abuse, will be returning Aug. 5.

"It's been a great event for our community, and it brings all the different people together," Stan Dutra, the event's founder, said. "You are going to see a lot of different people there with substance abuse problems, and you're going to see workers coming in the medical field for substance abuse."

There are about 15 three-round (two minutes each round) boxing matches each year that go on during this five-hour event. Boxers from the Cape, Bridgewater, Worcester, Fall River, Rhode Island and other places come out to compete.

I know you're thinking to yourself what boxing and substance abuse have in common.

"Why not boxing? It teaches youth to have discipline and not use drugs or alcohol," Dutra said.

Besides boxing, the event will feature music and speakers.

"We have rappers who do substance abuse raps. We have different drug groups that come there, and speakers who give testimonies and turned their life around," Dutra said.

At events like this, there's no telling who will show up. Dutra met a tribal member, Native American Robert Degaetano, when he was five years old. On Friday, Degaetano, now 21, will make his professional boxing debut at Polar Park.

In the past, the event has also featured appearances from Micky Ward, whose story is told in the 2010 movie "The Fighter," Muhammad Ali's gold medalist teammate Dr. Wilbert "Skeeter" McClure, and boxers from around the area who were highly rated.

When is Rumble on the Rez?

The Rumble on the Rez will take place Aug. 5 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Mashpee Wampanoag Health Service Unit (483 Great Neck South Road) in Mashpee.

Ryan Hendricks Scholarship Fund

All proceeds from Rumble on the Rez will go the Ryan Hendricks Scholarship Fund.

Hendricks of Mashpee passed away on Oct. 20 last year at the age of 20 in a single-car crash on his way to Florida. Hendricks was set to start his sophomore year at East Carolina University. Prior to that, Hendricks played football and basketball at Mashpee High School, where he was a member of the 2017 state champion football team.

Off the field and court, he was just as talented.

He was selected to represent Mashpee High School at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership seminar when he was a sophomore. His grades earned him membership into the National Honor Society, and he was also recognized for his math skills by Mu Alpha Theta, a national college math honor society.

Contact Courtney Jacobs at cjacobs@capecodonline.com. Follow him on Twitter: @CJ_Journalist

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Substance abuse awareness fundraiser set for Saturday in Mashpee