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| January 2011 | Vol 3, Issue 1 |
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| Greetings! | |
Kick For Nick continues to grow as people send us their new and gently-used soccer balls and we pass them on to our troops for distribution in Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa. Although our miliary efforts are slowing down in Iraq, the need for the balls stays the same now that the focus is on community building. Our increasing presence in Afghanistan and Africa also requires the need for more soccer balls to help smooth relations between our soldiers and civilians.
On another front, we are very excited to announce the purchase of a house for the Female Soldiers: Forgotten Heroes project. Read below for more info on the house and the project. |
| From the Front Lines |
-- FROM THE CURRENT COMMANDER OF NICK'S BATTALION
[...] I also wish to pass on to you that I delivered 8 of Nick's soccer balls to a community about four hours north of Basra in an utterly underdeveloped and very poor area inhabited by "Marsh Arabs" - part of the population that was so horribly oppressed by Saddam in his day.
You should know that the children's faces just lit up when I pulled those bright colorful soccer balls out of the vehicle - there was some pushing and shoving and I hope that they learn to share but I know that you brought some tremendous joy to at least 50 very poor Iraqi children today - they live in mud and marsh-reed huts with no heat, electricity or running water - with their cattle mixed in and nothing but a single brick and mortar structure for a school. Suffice it to say they were overjoyed to see us and Nick's soccer balls. I explained what these soccer balls meant to Sheikh Ali and he expressed his deep gratitude for the sacrifices made like your son and so many Americans like him.
Thanks again for allowing me to be part of this tremendous program to keep the memory of Nick alive. Know that it means a lot to me and I did not even serve with him but would have been privileged to have been able to. In many ways, I feel as if he continues to serve this mighty battalion and our country through this program you have kept going.
Very respectfully,
LTC Scott Taylor
Lion 6
 | | US soldier delivering KFN soccer balls to local Iraqi youth. |
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| Ball Update |
32,730 at last count for balls distributed by our troops to Iraqi and Afghani children! |
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Spirit of America featured on WallStreetJournal.com | |
Recently Daniel Henninger, of the Wall Street Journal, wrote an article and filmed a video about the organization "Spirit of America" in which he chronicled their efforts to continue delivering support to our troops in Afghanistan. To read the article or watch the video, click here. Kick For Nick was included as #43 in the Spirit of America book, "101 Ways to Help the Cause in Afghanistan." |
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| A Home for Our Female Veterans |
In conjunction with Homes for the Brave and the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs, we recently closed on this residence in Bridgeport, CT and are now preparing to start renovations. When completed, it will be a transitional home for 15 homeless female veterans where they will receive assistance in returning to civilian life.
Currently there are less than 10 beds in the state of Connecticut for homeless female veterans with no facility dedicated exclusively to females. This will be the first one.
This residence will provide the support and services needed to help these honorably discharged veterans overcome the effects of their combat experiences and get back into private life. In addition to the 15 veterans, there will be facilities to accomodate 5 of them with children under the age of 2 years old. Three of the rooms will also be handicapped-accessible.
If you are interested in more information about the FS:FH project, please visit our web page on the
Kick For Nick website. |
| Championship PUMAS Kick For Nick |
 | | Girls U13 PUMAS, Perkiomen Valley Soccer Club, Champions - Philadelphia Area Division 8 League |
The PVSC U13 PUMAs held their championship celebration Jan. 15 at Trinity Reformed UCC, Collegeville. In addition to honoring the team's accomplishments on the field, the PUMA players, coaches and parents also spent some time preparing soccer balls to donate to Kick for Nick. Players gathered soccer balls throughout the season, and asked their opponents to do the same, to donate to the cause.
(click the photo to see the video) |
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Thank you 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
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