Sharing

This week, inquiries from readers continued to pour in regarding the plea for soccer shoes of the Abellana National School team that qualified for the national finals of the Milo Little Olympics in Cagayan de Oro next month.

Some of them have already gotten in touch with coach Francis Ramirez, who asked me to help them air their appeal.

There have been all sorts of offers for assistance, one thing that I'd like to see happen is a way where we can donate the shoes that our children would outgrow so that they would not end up just gathering dust in our shoe cabinets and store rooms.

Maybe this can be initiated by a local football organization like the Cebu Amateur Football Club (CAFC), a group which I actually belong to.

A system can be organized so that those who would need shoes, like schools or clubs, whose players are from underprivileged families, can go to whoever is in charge and present their need.

The committee or person tasked to handle the shoes donation program will then assess the request and assist if the group is qualified to be a beneficiary.

I am just thinking aloud here and I hope that a group would pick up the idea and make it happen. I personally wish I had the storage space and staff to do this myself, but I am not yet ready to embark on such task alone.

This can actually even go beyond soccer shoes later on as other sports equipment can also be included in the items that can be donated.

This will help reduce the clutter in homes and put sports gear that are still in good condition to proper use by those who need them.

While this is not yet in place, we can start by going through the stuff in our closets or the attic and see what we can donate. Once the system or the organization that would accept such is ready, then we can bring them there so more people, especially children, can enjoy sports.

Similar programs can be organized in the various towns and cities or smaller communities. This way, our friends and families from abroad, who would be coming home, can also donate the stuff that they don't anymore use.

I do know of many in the United States, who have old sports equipment that they can probably put in one of the balikbayan boxes that they send home so that these can be donated.

Maybe Chairman Edward Hayco of the Cebu City Sports Commission can also help out in this endeavor.

'Sports for all' doesn't only mean participating as an athlete, coach or official. It could also mean giving your little share, like old stuff, that can be used by those who get involved in sports.

If you want to help, please send email to [email protected] so we can exchange our thoughts about this.

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MILESTONES: Happy birthday greetings to my cousin Charlie Gaite, who turns a year older today.

The same goes to Jay-jay Neri, Bia Rivera-Tumamao, Ligaya Barcenas and Sheena Leigh Alcontin-Go.

Advance greetings go to tomorrow's birthday celebrators Councilor Rengelle Pelayo, Maricor Aparte-Dans, Neptali Biolena, and Jong-Jong Merida.

More power to all of you!