Soccer Teams Up for Orphaned and Abandoned Children 

06/01/2006 - Toronto, Canada: The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) scored big for Africa's orphans today when Chief Operating Officer Kevan Pipe announced the donation by FieldTurf* of a $200,000 soccer pitch which will be installed in an SOS Children's Villages facility in South Africa.  Mr. Pipe made the announcement this morning at a media conference held at the King Street West Elephant and Castle. Voicing his immense appreciation and satisfaction that the CSA was able to facilitate the donation, Mr. Pipe added that the English Football Association will also kick in an additional $22,000. to cover installation.

"Those of us involved in soccer all around the world see the positive effects that the game can have on children on a daily basis. For orphaned and abandoned children under the care of SOS Children's Villages, the benefits can be immeasurable," he said. "Soccer spans economic, racial and religious barriers. It builds self-esteem, encouraging inclusion and team spirit as well as developing motor skills and improving cardio-vascular health. Hopefully it will build bridges that will help these children escape the relentless cycle of poverty and disease that they now face," he added.

Commenting on his company's generous donation, Mr. John Gilman, President and CEO of FieldTurf Inc. said, "We are proud to be a part of helping to make the lives of so many children in South Africa a little happier. All children deserve the right to grow up enjoying the advantages and lessons that a team sport like soccer can offer."

The CSA also announced today that it has raised over $100,000. to fund the construction and maintenance of a "Canada Soccer House" in the new SOS Village in Rustenburg, South Africa. Rapidly becoming 'Canada’s Soccer Charity', SOS Children’s Villages Canada (SOS Canada) partnered with the CSA over the course of FIFA's 2006 World Cup Official Charity Campaign – "6 villages for 2006".

Created to build awareness of international soccer audiences of the plight of orphaned and abandoned children around the world, the goal of "6 villages for 2006" is to raise sufficient funds to build a new SOS Village in South Africa, Nigeria, Mexico, Brazil, Vietnam and Ukraine. SOS Canada and the CSA have committed to fund a "Canada Soccer House" in Rustenburg, South Africa. The SOS Rustenburg Village is within eyesight of the site of the 2010 World Cup

Presenting the cheque to SOS Children's Villages Canada National Director Boyd McBride and Canada's FIFA for SOS Children’s Villages Ambassador Craig Forrest, CSA President Colin Linford was quick to commend CSA members across the country who had worked in partnership with the national organization to meet this major financial commitment. "This is the first time in history that the CSA has worked in this kind of a partnership to achieve such a tangible and exciting goal," he said.

Giving his own personal insights into the positive effects, CSA support will have on the lives of South Africa's orphans, Mr. Forrest described the harsh realities of life for the sub-Sahara’s HIV/AIDS–affected children and orphans. "My visit to SOS villages in South Africa last year brought me face to face with the unbelievable hardships faced by these children every day," he said. "They have lost their mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles – everyone. Many live in families headed by the oldest sibling or by frail grandparents. I saw firsthand the incredible work that SOS is carrying out not just with the orphans that come into their care, but the families in the surrounding communities who benefit from their outreach programs," he continued.

A former star goalie with the Canadian National Soccer team, Mr. Forrest, who is an analyst on Rogers Sportsnet's Soccer Central, will host the 2006 World Cup broadcasts on Rogers and TSN. Mr. Forrest traveled to South Africa last summer with a Soccer Central production team to shoot documentary footage of SOS Children's Villages operations in South Africa. A committed sponsor of SOS Canada, Rogers television has supported the organization with major airtime donated as PSAs as well as highlighting the organization on Soccer Central.

The "6 villages for 2006" campaign will close when the final whistle blows in Munich on July 9. However, the finish of the campaign will not end the commitment of Canada's soccer community to build better futures for orphaned and abandoned children around the world. Kevan Pipe announced that FIFA has named SOS Children's Villages Canada as the official charity of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007. Set to begin on June 30, 2007, the event will be hosted by Edmonton , Montreal , Ottawa , Victoria , Burnaby and Toronto, where the final match will take place. Craig Forrest who serves as Honourary Chair of the event was clearly pleased with FIFA's choice. "There is so much our sport can do to improve the lives of children around the world. Really, this is just the beginning."