First Five Grants Awarded to Local Athletes
Campaign underway to award up to 25 more grants
in 2005
Potomac, MD, March 2005. The Berhanu Soccer Foundation is pleased to announce the initial five recipients of grants for 2004. The grants will be awarded at the beginning of the spring season to: Caleb of Olney Soccer Club, Olney, MD; Chante of Bethesda Rapids, Bethesda, MD; Demar of Bethesda Mavericks, Bethesda, MD; and two boys from the Olympic Development Program. The initial awards are between $500 and $1000, which will help cover the spring season costs for ODP (Olympic Development Program) or NCSL (National Capital Soccer League) for the boys and WAGS (Washington Area Girls Soccer) for Chante Sandiford. “We are extremely excited to award these first grants and we are looking forward to watching these athletes develop their potential as players and representatives of our organization”, said Berhanu Soccer Foundation board member Jeremy Toft.
Berhanu Soccer Foundation now turns its sights on finding more worthy candidates for the 2005 grants, expected to be awarded in September of this year. “We are embarking on a concentrated campaign to get as many people and organizations involved in helping talented kids play soccer to their abilities as we can” said spokesman Dave Mangan. “We helped a few kids this past year. I wish we could help ten times as many this year.”
Berhanu Soccer Foundation is looking to build relationships with soccer clubs and teams and create a bigger presence with organizations and businesses interested in the Washington DC metro area market.
The demand for club soccer in the metro area has reached heights that are recognized nationally, and ranks in the top 10 metro areas for youth soccer. “Playing well at the club level can help these children improve the chance for a better future”, said founder Meseret Berhanu. “For instance, success in the premier leagues level can help a child get noticed by schools they might otherwise not have access to.”
Applications for the 2005 grants will be available at various tournaments throughout the area this spring and on the foundation’s web site, www.berhanusoccer.org.
For more information contact Jeremy Toft, Berhanu Soccer Foundation at jtoft@aol.com