We are always excited to see photographs of the receiving end for Peace Passers soccer equipment. Thanks to missionary Josh Kimball we have plenty of smiles to share from the youth in Angola, a country located in south-central Africa. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angola).

Josh picked up 20 soccer balls this summer while passing through Charlotte, NC for a friend’s wedding. The soccer balls were donated to Peace Passers by Chris Goodrum, (a fellow YMCA employee) who found out about our organization as an avenue to distribute equipment to global communities. Believe it or not the soccer balls were donated to us because the original purchasing company logo was misprinted. This is yet another example of ‘new, used, misprinted’ items that can still be put to great use!

If you’d like to learn more about the work done in Angola visit Hope For Angola: http://www.hopeforangola.org/home.html Josh Kimball is currently studying at the Capernwray Bible School in Lancashire Enlgand. We wish him the best of luck & continued good efforts in pursuing the shared passion of soccer worldwide.
Also be sure to check out more photos from Angola on our fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/peacepassers

We wanted to give you an update on Payton’s project that began in August of 2010. His latest photo “Got ‘Soccer’ Ball” is also priceless & worthy of sharing! Again and again he is raising the bar for all of us. Over these past few months Payton has been working on various avenues to gain support for his Peace Passers collection drive.  From contacting local businesses like Peter Piper Pizza and Play it Again Sports in the Tucson area, setting up collection bins around the community, to presenting his pitch at Rotary Clubs he has spread the good word of giving back to the game. Most recently Payton presented to the board of the Ft. Lowell Realtor Shootout and found success in the outcome. “They have agreed to let him have a free booth for the big events they have on Friday and Saturday nights and will let him place bins at each of the 15 to 20 parks involved in the shootout,” Julia Rudnick explained. The experiences Payton continues to grow from will no doubt pave the road for many to follow. Thank you to Payton and the Rudnick family for their continued enthusiasm and perseverance for the Peace Passers organization.

Check out Payton’s website http://www.givethroughsoccer.com
Payton’s collection totals as of November 22, 2010 are 70 soccer balls, 140 jerseys, 31 shorts and $1062.00 donations. Keep ON!

Many thanks to AYSO Region 172 for your support of the recent PeacePassers collection at Pioneer Park in Prescott, AZ. Kyle Trumble, coach of the U-19 team for AYSO region 172 hosted the jersey drive collecting over 160 jerseys on the last day of games.

Kyle Trumble, coach of the U-19 team for AYSO region 172 is hosting a jersey drive for PeacePassers. On the last day of games he will have a collection booth at pioneer park for anyone who is willing to donate their jerseys, new or old, for a good cause. Bring a shirt to change into after your last game and drop your jersey off on the way out.

View Larger Map

“It is a great way to share the game of soccer with kids around the World. They are a great organization and I would really appreciate all the help I can get. If anyone has any questions you can email me at ktrumble.flagler.edu or call (307) 349-6087″

Kyle Trumble - PeacePasser

For more info about this event and to RSVP or share with friends in the Prescott, AZ area please visit facebook.com/peacepassers
and click on the ‘Events’ tab

If you remember hearing about Alex Vazquez’s birthday party in Riverside, California then this story will speak to you! http://peacepassers.org/alex-celebrates-his-7th-birthday-with-peacepassers-style. After the party Alex & his mom shipped the soccer balls to San Francisco, California where brother Cameron Cooper volunteered as a Peace Passing link. As Alex’s Peace Passers soccer balls traveled onward to the hands of Cam, he then passed them along to Nicole Stannard (Clinical Director, Global Nurse Initiative) www.globalnurseinitiative.org.

Nicole and the GNI team then carried them to Fort Portal, Uganda where they were donated to the school, The Paul Devlin Academy. Nicole wrote to say “The kids loved, loved, LOVED their soccer balls and the teachers were beyond grateful for them. Without you guys we would have never been able to do this, so thanks to you, Cam and Alex who donated the soccer balls.”

The principal of the school will keep the soccer balls at the school and they will use them during the school day when the teachers can watch the kids. We must agree this will be a great addition to their school day!! Thanks goes out to Alex, Cam, Nicole and Candace from the Peace Passers for participating in another successful circle of giving!