After the TOMS “One Day Without Shoes” Event I felt the strong urge to check out what really goes on behind the company’s motto of “One For One.” A couple weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to visit a very special organization. Along side the dedicated LBC Foundation, we headed to Maricaban in Pasay City, home to the SPECS Foundation. The company’s name spells out their devotion to the Spiritual, Physical, Educational, Cultural, and Social needs of underprivileged children.
It was such a treat knowing that a selected group of kids in the foundation would be receiving new TOMS Shoes. The excitement filled the room as cheerful kids taught me songs and pastimes. It was a learning experience for an old soul to reconnect with the simple joy of hand games and rhymes. The fun and amusement seemed endless as variations of simple games transformed into challenging and entertaining competitions. It was great to see the kids smile and laugh as I struggled to keep up with them.
When it was time to hand out the shoes, there was an overwhelming sense of joy, as we knew these kids wouldn’t have to go barefoot for months and years to come. What is a common misunderstanding with TOMS “One for One” motto, is that the children only get one pair of shoes. In reality, the selection process identifies those in need and shoes are provided every 8 months, so that the child continuously receives footwear to accommodate their growing feet. So, the feeling of security and consistency of TOMS was truly present when we assisted in the shoe give. It gave us a peace of mind, that something we often take for granted like shoes, would be provided to a child in need as a commonality, normality and an essential piece of healthy living.
I want to thank the SPECS Foundation for warmly welcoming us on such a significant day for their kids, and commemorate them for the tremendous job they do for their community. I also want to thank the LBC Foundation for bringing us to the shoe give and giving us the chance to partake in serving a community through TOMS Shoes.
For more information on the SPECS foundation please contact Sandra M. Camesa.
For more information on the LBC Foundation please visit their Facebook page
Inspired by TOMS Shoes, that afternoon I headed over to Nothing but H20 to buy my very first pair. It was an emotional day. The significance of TOMS and being able to experience a shoe give was the highlight of this experience. To know and see first hand what I had purchased had directly put a shoe on a child’s foot and a smile on their face was an incredible sensation. Check out my NEW kicks.
Check out all the Cool New Merchandise from Nothing But H20 at http://www.nothingbuth2o.com/ or visit the Facebook Page.
There is no question that I am a Moma’s Boy and a Grandma’s Boy. I used to love shopping with my mom and grandma. It was always fulfilling and meaningful to tag along while shopping, and it was really a fun excursion that allowed me to help and spend some quality time with them. The values of being raised by both my mother and grandmother in the same household is something that I deeply appreciate and am grateful for. So, when I was given a gift a couple weeks ago, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the special present.
When tragedy strikes, it’s effects reach far beyond it’s immediate surrounds. The spirit of a nation is most closely tied to its effort to support it’s people. On December 16th the Philipines was shook by yet another typhoon this season. Its blow to the country hit far deeper than the Mindinao Region. Its impact effected people across the world and the cries for help were far more evident as the voices within were too moving to ignore. Contributions have been in the works and collaborations with companies, organizations and individuals have collectively contributed to the relief efforts. But much more can be done.
Last weekend I was invited to visit Smokey Mountain. For those of you who are not so familiar with Smokey Mountain, it is Manila’s largest dump site consisting of over 2 million tons of rubbish. It’s name was derived from the fires created from decomposing waste, making it one of the world’s most volatile garbage dump sites. For the normal citizens of Manila this dump site is a necessary function of society which gives the city an outlet for its waste and garbage, but for the 30,000 people who inhabit the horrific spaces in and around the dump site, it is called home.
Only after my senses had neutralized and the realization of the situation had subsided, was I able to regroup and focus on the day ahead. I was introduced to Dominic Uy, former PBA star, current sports commentator and one of the founders of Mighty Sports and I was explained the fun filled day to come. Several months back, Dominic and Mighty Sports had came to Smokey Mountain to repaired a Basketball Court. With it’s mission to enrich the live of those less fortunate through sports, Mighty Sports saw the important role that such a basketball court would play in a community built upon a pile of trash. With activities that could teach, challenge and motivate the community, the organization created a place where people could escape the harsh realities of life. Upon completion of the court’s restoration it has been reported that more people played basketball and soccer throughout the day and it is said that crime amongst community had dramatically went down.
from grassroots in building their character to become responsible citizens of the country; 2) become a professional organization in pursuit of excellence in promoting sports through specialized and focused events with integrity and social responsibility; and 3) organize and support events that promote character building, values formation and integrity to its participants.
I also had the chance to meet husband and wife, Avery and Candice Del Rosario, Co-founders of Futbol Funatics. It was a pleasure to see them at work and coaching together. It truly showed their commitment to teaching to the sport and most of all their commitment to social responsibility. This stellar group of organizations really inspired me along with the many new faces, friends and children I had the pleasure of meeting and interacting with. I only hope my presence brought to others just a faction of what I gained from such an inspiring experience.
From September 19-24th the I Can Serve Foundation held a football invitational tournament to raise breast cancer awareness. The three teams selected to play in the charity showdown included Global FC, Kaya FA and the Philippine Azkals. There was much hype around the fixtures as Team Azkals finished their most successful World Cup Qualifying run in the county’s history and both, Kaya and Global had been preparing for the upcoming UFL Cup. With the excitement around the highly anticipated match ups, it was easy for fans to see the invitational as a Kick-off competition to the new UFL Cup and League Season. But to recap and bring things back to perspective, the round-robin style tournament was a friendly showcase for a very important foundation: The I Can Serve Foundation.
As one of my first games with Kaya FC, I was proud to have been apart of something special and something meaningful to kick start my role on a new team, in a new country. If you take a look around the Spirrs Network and notice some of the charities I have had the chance to experience and promote, you’ll be able to see that soccer can be used far greater than just a entertaining sport. It has the quality to unite and promote change in peoples lives. I hope we can remember how important the sport is to the world, and somewhere behind the magnificent goals, there are plenty of other goals we can accomplish.
Today I had the very special opportunity to not only take a look what will become the Fair Play for All Foundations new home, I had the chance to help with it’s initial construction. In actuality, it was really more like it’s “deconstruction.” When I was told that the foundation had finally found it’s first physical location after a grueling search for the right place and size, I was more than excited to see it. I was told it needed a lot of work, so I didn’t know what to expect. When I finally had the opening in my training schedule to see it, I set up the time to take a tour and help with it’s initial handy work.
Before getting to work, Naomi kindly took me on a tour of Payatas showing me the village and the dump site, as she guided me through the daily happenings of the locals. When we arrived at there, we walked through the gated family-owned property and through the back entrance of the new home. The space opened into a large kitchen, and first floor of the Center to-be seemed quite spacious. We proceeded to the abandoned dimly-light second floor and started to calculate what was to be done for the day. It was very apparent that there was plenty of work to do, as the space was unoccupied for years and signs of damage, wear, and neglect were evident.
So, the News Letter from the Fair Play for All Foundation is finally out!
This past Saturday, teammate Nate Burkey, member of the Philippine Azkals and I had the most wonderful soccer experience, that truly brought us back to some great childhood memories. August 20th marked the opening competition for an unlikely group of footballers here in Manila. For the past six months a group of children from Payatas, Manila’s lastest garbage dump site, have been meeting once a week to do something most normal kids take for granted. For the children of Payatas, education, health, hygene, and support are scarce and many look to the darker sides of life to find drug induced glimpses of joy. Each week they are given the oppurtunity to meet in a safe enviorment where the harsh daily grind of scavenging acres of rubbish seemingly disapears for at least a couple hours, and the joys of being children again comes to visit them in the form of a Soccer Ball. The love, support and care provided to the small percentage of Payatas children come from a group of passionate people that formed the Fair Play For All Foundation (FFA).
