This drive was created by Joshua’s sister, Katrina, in 2006. Both Katrina and Joshua enjoyed playing soccer and were members of the Irondequoit Soccer Club. In fact, Katrina still belongs to the Irondequoit Challenge U19 Girls Travel Team that is coached by Matt Quinlan and Pat Rojas (Katrina & Josh’s dad).
Each May at the Wegman’s Irondequiot Challenge Travel Soccer Tournament, bins of gently used soccer equipment are collected. The drive continues at the Brockport International Soccer Festival in July. After we compile and sort the equipment, donations are then sent to various places and organizations locally and around the world.
In the Fall of 2006, over $5000 of soccer equipment was donated to a program for under-privileged children in Paranoa, Brazil (see picture below). This after-school program focuses on single parent families who are looking for guidance for their impressionable children. This program is sponsored and maintained by local firemen and women who teach the children the importance of self-respect and discipline. The donation was personally delivered by Joshua’s Aunt Gladys, who was living in Brazil at the time.
In the Summer of 2007, over $1300 of equipment was donated to Rochester’s East High School for their new modified soccer program. Also, over $4400 of soccer equipment was donated to the ROC E6 Summer Program. ROC E6 sponsors a summer camp for inner-city Rochester children. At the camp the children are tutored in math, English language arts and ethics. They also teach the children lacrosse, soccer, wrestling and various other sports. See their website, www.roce6.com for further information about the camp. Katrina has enjoyed working and volunteering at the camp for the past two summers.
Our 2008/2009 equipment drives were also very successful. Thanks to our community's generosity we donated over $5700 of soccer equipment to four organizations/facilities. The donations included 35 soccer balls and ball pump to the Kick For Nick. See their website, www.kickfornick.org for further information about their drive. Also, we sent several boxes of soccer equipment to a soccer team in the Philippines, a training centre in Rwanda and to the organization, Beanies for Baghdad. See their website, www.BeaniesForBaghdad.com for more information about their cause, as well. Just imagine, somewhere on the other side of the world, a child is smiling and experiencing the excitement of playing the sport they love... thank you.
