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He was grateful. She was happy. Then there’s the Award.

February 24, 2017 We spoke for an hour, maybe more. There we were on the side if the long track in the chilly air. Watching the skaters fly by. Fortunately for us all we found some time to visit. Gilmore and Hector, in particular. The story started way back-three years ago. Sitting on the edge of my seat watching the Russian Sochi Olympics, I was here in Vancouver. This is how I always watch the Olympics starting way back as a little girl. On the edge of my seat; sometimes standing up and cheering. It was always hard to sit… Read more →

Finally the Award is granted. Proud.

Feb 2017 – Something started over 3 years ago is coming to fruition.   Sochi Olympics. 2014. If you were Canadian, you remember. A young man named Gilmore Junio gave up his spot in speedskating so his teammate Denny Morrison could have a crack at making the final. Denny did and won a silver medal. An OLYMPIC SILVER MEDAL. Incredible story.   His act made my heart sing. I immediately went into action and thought up an award – The Spirit in Sport award. A generous donor gave $5000 to the award. Well, my heart is going to sing again… Read more →

Help a Girl Play

Help A Girl Play —   Seeing all those amazing athletes in the Women’s World Cup of Soccer in Canada in 2015 got me thinking. What can we do that is easy enough to undertake with benefits for girls? The answer was to spread soccer balls throughout the world! Well sort of. I connected with One World Play and met Emily. I had already connected with Sarah from a group called Women Win. Emily has these amazing durable never-need-a-pump soccer balls and Sarah has a network of pro-women pro-empowerment organizations in places like Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and so on.… Read more →

You made a difference…Thank you!

During this Christmas Season I am filled with gratitude. Again I want to thank you for your support for “2015 The Year of Women in Sport” and “Play it Forward”, the campaign to raise hope and awareness for girls and women. Many of you chose to participate and also donate to reduce violence to girls and women. I received an update from Women Win, one of several international organizations finding creative ways to support young people in distant locations playing soccer. By engaging youth and young adults with soccer (football), esteem is built and social skills are fostered. Many of… Read more →

Our Donated Soccer Balls now in Lagos, Nigeria

The extra durable balls donated by you during the Women’s World Cup of Soccer back in June/July have arrived to young women gathered in Lagos, Nigeria.   The Youth Empowerment Foundation in Nigeria, in conjunction with our collaborator, Women Win, came together to host a Digital Storytelling (DST) Workshop. As part of this workshop, soccer balls were donated. Sarah Murray, Director of Women Win, wrote me “we conducted a storytelling training a couple weeks ago. Participants were from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria.” They received some of the 103 balls we raised together during June and July.   Thank you… Read more →

Costa Rica PLAY IT FORWARD

The Seprojoven organization of Salvador, Costa Rica, hosted PLAY IT FORWARD.   Young soccer enthusiasts gathered to take the PLEDGE OF HOPE and meet the Costa Rican national team fresh from the Women’s World Cup.   It was a beautiful day!   Read more →

Year of Women in Sport – special celebration in Salvador, Brazil

Instituto Fazer Acontecer (IFA) in Salvador, Brazil celebrates the Year of Women in Sport.   From our network member – Instituto Fazer Acontecer in Salvador, Brazil: “Esport3 Festival of the “cold semi-Arid” climate. The year of women in Sports!” Held Jul 26th. Short video clip of celebration — PICS (flickr) https://flic.kr/s/aHskhS3jXJ (click here) A few samples Read more →

Great pictures from Moncton’s PLAY IT FORWARD event

We’re a little late in posting these but consider it a throwback!   These are the photos from the Sunday, June 28th PLAY IT FORWARD event in Moncton, New Brunswick.   More smiling faces and fun. Make sure you click the link to see all the pictures!   CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESOLUTION PHOTOS — https://flic.kr/s/aHskcK4QGz Read more →

Update — Soccer balls donated are going to girls in Nigeria, India and Cambodia

FOR THOSE THAT DONATED TO THE SOCCER BALLS FOR GIRLS, here is a note I received from the Director of our distributor, Women Win. Sarah Murray writes “We just heard from Emily at One World Play that Play it Forward raised 103 balls for Women Win program partners! That is absolutely incredible! Emily is shipping them to our Amsterdam office. We are scheduled to be in Nigeria (Youth Empowerment Foundation), India (Naz Foundation) and Cambodia (working with several orgs, including SALT) in the next couple of months. We will be sure to bring a bag of balls to each group.… Read more →