CHARLOTTE, NC – The North Meck Soccer ’96 Boys Red team honored their coach, Kevin Flanagan, with a donation to Peace Passers. This donation will support another season of the boys 10-14 year old futsala league in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. To document the dedication, Peace Passers had a local artist paint the North Meck logo on the futsala court. The donation has been matched by Bank of America.
Friday, Jan. 02, 2009
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CHARLOTTE, NC — Peace Passers was recently featured in the Charlotte Observer newspaper in the article “5 local ways to help others worldwide” By Rosie Molinary. Click the link below to see the article:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/479/story/448660.html
Photo By Richard Rudisill
On behalf of the Peace Passers we would like to thank everyone who has joined in our efforts for a successful year of steady growth in so many positive ways. Despite the bad news we all hear about everyday (ie.the economy woes!), we are grateful and encouraged by those of you who have continuously inspired us to carry on with the good work of Peace Passers. It is in times such as these, that the core of the work we are doing becomes even more meaningful.
The January, 2008 inception of the organization came about through a shared passion for the game of soccer among of group of good friends. We recognized the values gained as a result of being given the opportunity to grow up with the sport and wanted to give back by increasing play for others worldwide. With your help over the year we have been able to reach out to areas throughout Central America spreading smiles along the way to kids who are now able to play in good shoes, with a descent ball, and even experience thrill of putting on a team jersey. Building on our network of global connections we have also made successful distributions of soccer equipment to Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia in Africa.
Our greatest impact has been in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua where we have partnered with a local organization CommunidadConnect.org. Through monetary donations by you our supporters, we have helped them start the FIRST EVER La Futbol Sala league for 10-12 yr olds. We are also so proud to have supported the FIRST EVER Girls league in SJDS, Nicaragua! These are true examples of how your $$ donations help support the beginning of organized leagues in these areas. So thank you (y muchas gracias) to all of you who have jumped on the PeacePasser bus so far!
With your continued involvement we can work together, making a positive impact on so many kids, youth, and adults who find a wealth of happiness in simply being given the opportunity to play the sport of soccer! Please join us in celebrating the year 2009 as one of continued success, for spreading peace, joy, and happiness with the greatest game on earth!
Emanating creativity at its’ finest, Kristin Bird-Norman is turning 29 years-old on December 29th, 2008. Welcoming in her 29th year in a rightful way, Kristin is yet another example of someone who recognizes the joy found in giving.
In place of typical birthday gifts, guests were invited to the celebration and encouraged to bring 29 soccer equipment donations to support PeacePassers.
We would like to thank the Norman family & all the b-day friends for their support! The PeacePassers team wishes Kristin a very happy birthday, and may your 29th year in 2009 be filled with continued blessings.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
Con buenas ondas (“With good vibes”)
Candace & The PeacePassers Team
Thanks to a donation by Flanagan’s very own U-13 boys team at North Meck Soccer Club (NMSC), PeacePassers will be able to support future training of coaches in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Fostered through ComunidadConnect.org, and in honor of Coach Kevin Flanagan we appreciate the unique opportunity to sponsor development of their local coaches. The charisma of Flanagan is one to model, and by his representation of the variety of aspects it takes to be a first-class coach, we hope to cultivate learning & skills in the coaches of the San Juan del Sur community who share that same passion & love for the game. Many thanks to Flanagan for his participation and coaching guidance during the “La Vida Deportiva” clinics held in Nicaragua last month. To read the official dedication letter click here
Photo: Nicaragua Surf Report
Excerpt taken from nicaraguasurfreport.com – 11/21/2008
“Hi folks, today in the morning the Peace Passers crew organized a soccer clinic for the local kids at the “The Comunidad Connect” court to give them some pointers on how they can improve their soccer skills. All the kids were super stoked because Peace Passers gave them some new soccer uniforms and now they are able to play on the next contest. Here in Nicaragua not many people want to support the young kids and keep them away from bad habits. We here at NSR want to thank these guys for helping these kids out. It is nice when people take the time to help out our community, again thank you very much.”
Peace Passers would like to thank Suzy Nazimek. Suzy is an 11th grade student at Bishop Ahr High School in Edison, New Jersey and has played soccer for over 8 years. She serves as an excellent example to all of us, as a young athlete who has a natural passion for servant leadership. On her own will she contacted us with a desire to help the mission of Peace Passers. Since her link to Peace Passers Suzy has collected soccer gear and equipment from her teammates & friends as well as connecting with the Woodbridge Township Youth Soccer Association & Old Bridge Soccer Association in which she is able to reach out to her entire community.
The latest soccer gear donation received by the Peace Passers (on behalf of Suzy’s efforts) includes eight boxes filled with 259 jerseys, 38 shorts, 14pairs of socks, 38 pairs of shoes/boots, and 34 pairs of shin guards. This type of example represents how one persons’ initiative within a community can make such an amazing impact. Suzy’s work service sets the stage that others can follow.
Suzy, we thank you and your teammates for the donations you continue to share with the Peace Passers!
Join us on Saturday for cornhole, pingpong, raffles, and an all around good time! Our goal is to raise $ and gear to support the first ever girls league in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua!
Peace Passers is honored to be officially ‘Tagged’ on the walls of the Futbol Sala court in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua. We began our relationship with the local kids leagues back in March 2008. Most recently we have sponsored the first-ever Futbol Sala league for girls in SJDS. Without your donations, none of this would have been accomplished … a big thank you from the Peace Passers Team.
Buena Onda
PeacePassers is proud to offer thanks to Michelle Jenkins (Charlotte, NC) for her connection on the recent trip to Nairobi, Kenya. Michelle served as a member of a mission team that traveled to Kenya to work with kids in the orphanage at the Jubilee Children’s Center (http://www.kenyaorphanageproject.org) Upon her return, she reflected on the experience:
“We handed out the PeacePassers soccer uniforms and equipment two days before we left the orphanage (b/c it rained every day). That entire week we never saw the boys play and wondered if they knew how. Of course they did! (and they were awesome at it) but it almost seemed like they needed something to unify them to get them out there playing. And when we handed out the beautiful soccer jerseys- the boys came from every corner of the school to come out and play.”
“I elected two of the older boys to be captains and organize the teams. By surprise they chose team members the fairest way possible – count off 1,2,1,2. They were very proud of their soccer uniforms and really enjoyed posing for the “team” pictures.”
“It was an awesome sight seeing them play all together and the younger kids on the sidelines enjoying the game. It’s really not very often they get gifts such as these and we left knowing they would take good care of the soccer uniforms & equipment and get some great use out of them.
So with all that being said – I say to you PeacePassers- a big big thank you!!”– Michelle Jenkins