13/5/2005 - Ottawa, Canada: One of Canada's elite men's soccer clubs has set its sights on a new goal -- building families for South Africa's orphaned and abandoned children.
Announcing the partnership between the Toronto Lynx Soccer Club and SOS Children's Villages Canada (SOS), Kelsey Lemon, Partnership Co-ordinator for SOS described the association as a natural progression of the international link that has already been forged between FIFA and SOS Children's Villages International.
"6 Villages for 2006 is one of the most far-reaching social projects undertaken in the sport sector," she commented. "6 for 6 is the official charity of the 2006 World Cup which will take place in Germany.
The commitment is to raise enough funds by the final whistle to build six new SOS Children's Villages across the world. The participation of the Toronto Lynx in this project is a huge vote of confidence and support for the work we carry out across the world and is deeply appreciated." she continued.
The Toronto Lynx organization will work with SOS Canada to raise funds for '6 for 6' and will also help increase public awareness of the crucial work carried out by SOS in more than 130 countries.
Earlier this year, the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) signed on to help raise enough funds for a 'Canada Soccer House' in the new SOS Children's Village in Rustenburg, South Africa.
The building will be a home for vulnerable and abandoned children, many orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic which has swept over Sub-Saharan Africa. The need is crucial. Estimates indicate that a child is orphaned by HIV/AIDS every 15 seconds. The children in 'Canada Soccer House" will grow up in a secure and nurturing family-based environment with an SOS parent and brothers and sisters. The children will also receive long term medical care, education and social support.
Based at Centennial Park Stadium in Etobicoke, the Toronto Lynx Soccer Club is part of the United Soccer League's professional division which includes the USL First and Second divisions.
Nicole Hartrell, the owner and Chief Operating Officer of the Club enthusiastically supports the mission of the SOS Children's Village." We are proud to be working with SOS Children's Village Canada for such a worthy cause," she said. "We believe that soccer is the unifying force in the world of sports and as such we have a strong tradition of assisting charitable organizations serving the youth in our province, our country and throughout the world," she continued.