DIARY: Ruminations, Occasional thoughts & happenings - as they arise
Athletic Hope - 31 March 2007:
My
friend Caroline Curtis, who lives locally, had a brilliant idea
following a stint in South America, when she went to Argentina to help out in an
underprivileged community, on the outskirts of Cordoba, Argentina's second
largest city. She had the idea of bringing a crowd of young footballers to
play in Ireland. ATHLETIC HOPE – From Argentina to Ireland Carlos Gimenez
Currently she is trying to raise £50,000 to pay the costs.
A couple of days ago I created a News Release to help the
process along. I hope it works! She is literally relying on God, and
the people of Ireland, to raise the necessary cash. Perhaps you can
help? You don't need to be Irish (and Caroline is easy to contact.)
Read on!
This summer he will play international football on the green fields of Ireland,
during Coleraine’s famous Milk Cup competition.
"Unbelievable," he says, "That I
should suddenly have the opportunity to travel across the world and play
football in Europe!"
He is not alone in his
amazement. An 18-strong panel of young players, all under 15, together with five
adults, plus Coach Alberto Lopez and Manager Pascual Noriega, will leave
Argentina on 15th July to spend three weeks playing friendly matches
in County Down and in Dublin City – as well as sightseeing and experiencing
life in Ireland - before competing in the Junior Section of the week-long Milk
Cup.
The budding young footballers belong to Atlético M.E.D.E.A - a football club which was formed to "keep young people off the street and give them a real alternative to a life of crime, drugs and violence".
"It is the opportunity of a lifetime for these youngsters, who have so little and train so hard", says Pascual Noriega, ex-professional footballer and former member of the Argentine National squad, who has returned home to help these youngsters growing up on the wrong side of the city of Córdoba.
"I achieved some success, and it made a great difference to my life," he says. "Now, out of the blue, has come the opportunity for these young people to travel to the other side of the world and play soccer! They cannot believe it! It is a marvelous moment in their young lives!"
How
did it come about?
"Some years ago I heard a pastor from Córdoba talk about life in this
deprived area," says Caroline Curtis, who lives in Ballyhornan, Co. Down.
"Eventually I felt called to go out and help, and during the eighteen
months I was there I saw the value of the football club and on a return
visit to Ireland in 2004 the idea came up of inviting one of the teams from the
football club over to play football with local teams in Ireland".
"This team from Argentina has now been selected to play in the Milk Cup
for 2007 and so for the past few months we have been fund raising to bring them
over and pay for all their needs while they are here. We reckon it will cost
about £2,000 per person - £50,000 in all. It’s a lot of money but one
friend, gave an immediate donation of £1,000, which she had recently inherited.
Some people have fund-raised for the passports, others have given gifts or
promised gifts of several hundreds of pounds. A couple of people have offered to
sponsor a child, others have done sponsored walks, and in County Down, we have
distributed a collection of large sweetie jars and small pots in various
premises to collect as much small change as possible. We feel sure that these
youngsters will be over here in July thanks to the generosity of the people in
Ireland."
___________________________________________________________________________
AthleticHope Programme
-
Spend ten days in Down District for sporting and recreational activities and link up with local youth through a rich and varied programme of events. During their time in Down, they will stay in the Scouts’ Accommodation at Ballyhornan
-
Spend a weekend in Dublin and take part in a One-Day Football Tournament as well as take part in various educational and recreational activities. Accommodation for this will be in private families – organised by Dublin supporter Barbara Finnerty
-
Participate in the Milk Cup Tournament in Coleraine and mix with football teams from all over the world as well as teams from both Northern and Southern Ireland. Accommodation in Coleraine will be in student quarters of the University of Ulster – expensive but necessary.
_______________________________________________________________
MORE Photos & Info Below
Some of the young players who are coming to Ireland
Coach Alberto Lopez
LINKS
(Spanish)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_Cup
MORE Facts & Info
Those who wish to make a donation to AthleticHope can do so through any Bank:
Account No: 00117036 Sort Code: 98-05-40
(Ulster Bank, Downpatrick Branch, 2/8 Market Street, Downpatrick, Co. Down BT30 6BU)
NOTE: The International Lemuel Foundation is a Registered Charity and through Gift-Aid is able to reclaim tax on any donation over £10 made to AthleticHope - provided the donor is a U.K. taxpayer.
By filling in a form, you can earn 28p more for AthleticHope for every pound you give. Please contact Caroline Curtis if you wish to do this. Caroline is a Trustee of the Lemuel Foundation.
ALL CONTACTS through
Caroline Curtis18 Donard View, Bishopscourt, Downpatrick, Co. Down BT30 7BN
FACT!
Many great players in international football have taken part in the Milk Cup
Players such as David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney, have all competed in the tournament at some level.
In the football World Cup of 2002 thirty Milk Cup veterans were playing.