Durham Lords Media Release
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
DURHAM COLLEGE ATHLETICS CONNECTS WITH STUDENTS IN AFRICA
Oshawa, ONT. – The Durham College athletic department has recently donated some gently used athletic uniforms and equipment to students in Kenya and Zambia through the Mission for Advancing Theological Education – Friends Committed to Caring (MATE/FCC), a non-profit agency working with youth around the world.
MATE/FCC is an organization who supplies underprivileged children with materials not accessible to them such as sporting equipment and books, in an effort to provide a framework to learn about goal setting, hard work, fair play and teamwork.
”Words cannot express the gratitude we know will be forth-coming from the children overseas who are presently making due with balls made of plastic bags tied with rope and string,” stated Marilyn Daniels, Coordinator of Missions at MATE/FCC. “I know from watching other gifts received, that it will bring tears to their eyes. It gives them a sense of self-worth when they can actually look like a team!”
The college donated several sets of old soccer, baseball and volleyball uniforms to the program as well as sporting equipment that the athletic department no longer uses. Durham College Athletic Director Ken Babcock was more than willing to donate the uniforms and equipment for such a great cause and encourages others to participate in similar programs in the future.
”We jumped at the idea of donating our retired uniforms and equipment to the program,” said Babcock. “It is extremely important for us to be able to give kids an opportunity to enjoy life through sport and to help make their lives a little bit easier. Everyone should have the opportunity to participate in sport. Should there be a time in the future where we are in a position to do something similar, we will.”
This is not the first time that the Durham College athletic department has participated in a program similar to this. Durham Lords men's baseball head coach Sam Dempster recently organized a donation of old baseball equipment to youth groups in Kenya through his involvement with the Major League Baseball Envoy Program. Coach Dempster is also on tour coaching youth baseball in Europe with the program this summer.
For more information on the MATE/FCC program, please visit their website at www.matefcc.org.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Scott Dennis
Sports Information and Marketing Coordinator
Durham College and UOIT Athletics
905.721.2000 Ext. 2784 (P)
905.721.3117 (F)
scott.dennis@dc-uoit.ca
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