The Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) and the Cebu Amateur Football Club (CAFC) both responded positively to our call for a group to organize a drop-in center for donations of soccer shoes and sports equipment.
Chairman Edward Hayco of the CCSC contacted us last Saturday morning about the matter. He said that he already gave instructions to staff of the CCSC about the matter.
He said that not only old soccer shoes will be accepted, but all sorts of sports equipment, which are just gathering dust in your homes. “We can put them to very good use in the Sports Institute,” Ed said.
The Sports Institute is being set up at the San Nicolas Gym. This shall serve as the main training center for the top athletes of Cebu.
The equipment that will be donated will be used to get more children into sports and from them we can screen the potentials that will be picked to train under the institute.
Glenn Quisido, president of the CAFC, called me up the other day and informed me that the organization met last Sunday and discussed the proposal.
He said that the CAFC will also be willing to do it.
Since the organization is not tied to one specific local government unit, it can provide support to clubs that are from areas outside of Cebu City.
He said that the group is also supporting the Abellana National School team, whose appeal for shoes started this crusade. The CAFC will provide the team with their bags and uniforms.
Chairman Ed said that the system to receive donations will be put in place very soon, so if you have started going over your old stuff, get ready to donate them so that they can be used by our athletes.
He also said that he would organize a press conference to formally announce this project.
If you wish to share what you have, I also hope that you will make sure that they are still usable.
By helping out in this endeavor, you are contributing something to sports development and at the same time freeing up some space in your closet or store room.
By the way, coach Francis Ramirez of ANS told me the other day that their team already bought shoes with the help of the alumni, who responded to the appeal that we printed here.
To all those who expressed willingness to help, thank you very much, but you can still do so through either the CCSC or the CAFC.
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Milestones: Today is a red letter day in The Freeman, because it is the birthday of our editor-in-chief Jerry S. Tundag.
Birthday greetings go to Marcie Abesamis, Ann Ortiz-Rodriguez, Ces Casas, Gennick Generoso, John Peter Pastrana, Amerey Reyes, and Vincent Joel Gagno, who are all celebrating today.
Belated greetings go to Carla Ybañez-Veloso, who turned a year older last Monday.
The same goes to my buddy Ralston Norman ‘Al’ Rallon, Jeralyn Cañares, Jimmy Lucero and Victoria L. Fernandez.
More power to all of you!