August 2009 Vol 1, Issue 2
Kick For Nick Soccer Ball
Greetings!
We hope you found our first newsletter last month interesting and we appreciate your support. 
 
This month, we have another ball update; some news about the ESPN video that was a such huge part of making people aware of Kick For Nick; and lastly an email and photo from one of our soldiers.
 
If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, we would love to hear from you.  Just reply to this email or leave a message on Nick's Wall at www.KickForNick.org.  
 
Thank you for your support, 
Bill & Shalini Madaras
Ball Update
 
Molly Collects Soccer Balls For KFN
A big thank you to Molly Moon of Libertyville IL, shown above, and all the volunteers who have collected and donated balls and shipping supplies to Kick For Nick. 
 
Since Kick For Nick's inception in November 2006, 23,501 soccer balls have been distributed by our soldiers to the children of Iraq and Afghanistan.
In This Issue
Ball Update
ESPN Kick For Nick Video
An Email From the Front Lines
Join Our Mailing List!
Quick Links

ESPN's Kick For Nick Video Wins Prestigious Awards 

 
The ESPN video feature about Kick For Nick was first shown on ESPN in January 2008.  It was shown again on Memorial Day 2008 and 2009. ESPN noted that it was the highest rated 'Outside the Lines' segment ever recorded.  
 
This video was a winner of a Finalist Certificate in the Human Interest cateory of the New York International Television Programming & Promotion Awards as well as a winner of the 2009 Edward R. Murrow Award for Sports Reporting.  
 
Vist our home page to watch the video .
An Email From the Front Lines
 
Following is an excerpt from the blog of Sargeant Jordan Sawyer, currently stationed in Iraq. Sgt Sawyer's Platoon Distributing Balls
 
"...For every mission I'd hand out 2-3 balls to each of the squads and let them decide what children received them. Usually they reserved them for well behaved children during a dismounted patrol or especially poor looking kids. This had its pros and cons. On the plus side, the kids flocked to us and enjoyed our presence more. Typically when kids are around, you're generally less likely to be attacked. On the down side, I couldn't get many pictures and WAY too many kids flocked to us. Iraqi kids are to soccer balls like cats are to catnip. They go WILD! We often times had to be careful with passing out the soccer balls else we'd literally be over run by kids." 
 
For further insight about Sgt. Sawyer's experience with Kick For Nick, please feel free to read the remainder of his blog post.
Thanks again for your support and if you know of anyone who might be interested in receiving this newsletter, please forward it using the button below.
 
Sincerely,
Bill & Shalini Madaras
Kick For Nick