Sun Village Orphan to Throw Olympic Pitch after ISF President Donates Equipment to Beijing Children's Charity
Don Porter: “Inspiring these children is just the sort of thing softball can achieve”
Beijing, China; 12th August 2008: International Softball Federation President Don Porter visited the Sun Village charity project in rural Beijing yesterday to donate softball equipment to orphaned children, and invited one of them to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at the Olympic venue on Thursday (August 14th).
Porter, who is in Beijing for the softball competition at the Olympic Games and also to promote the BackSoftball campaign to get the sport reinstated in October 2009 onto the Olympic programme for 2016, handed out softballs, bats, gloves, and field equipment during his visit.
Sun Village orphan Li Yufeng, age 7, proved herself to be a natural at softball and clearly impressed Chinese Olympic softball player Zhou Yin, who was also on-hand. Li has now been invited to throw out a ceremonial first pitch before Thursday’s first game between Australia and the host China while being watched by some of the other children, who were given game tickets by the ISF.
The Sun Village Project in the Shunyi district of the rural suburbs of Beijing looks after more than 100 children whose parents have been imprisoned. Supported by the Rotary Club of Beijing, a team of volunteers provide education and support to the children who would otherwise struggle to have a positive start in life.
Mr. Porter commented, “It was wonderful to visit Sun Village and very touching to see the enthusiasm in the young children. They have had a tough start in life and hopefully our donation will help them enjoy our great sport in their spare time. Inspiring these children is just the sort of thing softball can achieve, as has been the case with so many other youths worldwide.
Donna de Varona, double gold medal Olympic swimmer and Co-chair of the ISF BackSoftball Task Force, also was moved by the visit. “It is universal, kids love to play,” she said. “Today, throwing, catching, and hitting the softball gave some 80 orphans a few hours of laughter, connection, and fun.
“It will be a day they remember for a very long time and a day I will treasure, for their smiles and joy of learning something new was written all over their faces. They were thrilled that one of their own came out a day before Olympic competition to share stories about the contenders and to teach them a few skills of the game.”
Mr. Porter concluded, “China has given everyone working for the BackSoftball campaign a wonderful welcome and with the tickets for the Olympic Softball tournament having sold out a while back, perhaps some of these children will be inspired to compete after watching Thursday’s game if we’re successful in getting the sport re-instated onto the Olympic programme in 2016.”
The 300,000+ tickets for all softball games in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games sold out earlier this year, further underlining the strength of the global BackSoftball campaign led by Mr. Porter.
The eight teams that are competing in the Olympic Games from August 12-21 are Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Netherlands, USA, and Venezuela.
The aim is for softball to return as a sport on the 2016 Games programme after missing out by the narrowest of margins (only one vote) for the London 2012 programme at the 2005 Session of the International Olympic Committee.
For more information contact:
ISF Director of Communications Bruce Wawrzyniak at brucew@internationalsoftball.com or Beijing mobile +86.136 8157 0417
OR
Back Softball Media Relations Director Laura Walden at lwalden@backsoftball.com or Beijing Mobile +86.136 8157 6445
Beijing, China; 12th August 2008: International Softball Federation President Don Porter visited the Sun Village charity project in rural Beijing yesterday to donate softball equipment to orphaned children, and invited one of them to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at the Olympic venue on Thursday (August 14th).
Porter, who is in Beijing for the softball competition at the Olympic Games and also to promote the BackSoftball campaign to get the sport reinstated in October 2009 onto the Olympic programme for 2016, handed out softballs, bats, gloves, and field equipment during his visit.
Sun Village orphan Li Yufeng, age 7, proved herself to be a natural at softball and clearly impressed Chinese Olympic softball player Zhou Yin, who was also on-hand. Li has now been invited to throw out a ceremonial first pitch before Thursday’s first game between Australia and the host China while being watched by some of the other children, who were given game tickets by the ISF.
The Sun Village Project in the Shunyi district of the rural suburbs of Beijing looks after more than 100 children whose parents have been imprisoned. Supported by the Rotary Club of Beijing, a team of volunteers provide education and support to the children who would otherwise struggle to have a positive start in life.
Mr. Porter commented, “It was wonderful to visit Sun Village and very touching to see the enthusiasm in the young children. They have had a tough start in life and hopefully our donation will help them enjoy our great sport in their spare time. Inspiring these children is just the sort of thing softball can achieve, as has been the case with so many other youths worldwide.
Donna de Varona, double gold medal Olympic swimmer and Co-chair of the ISF BackSoftball Task Force, also was moved by the visit. “It is universal, kids love to play,” she said. “Today, throwing, catching, and hitting the softball gave some 80 orphans a few hours of laughter, connection, and fun.
“It will be a day they remember for a very long time and a day I will treasure, for their smiles and joy of learning something new was written all over their faces. They were thrilled that one of their own came out a day before Olympic competition to share stories about the contenders and to teach them a few skills of the game.”
Mr. Porter concluded, “China has given everyone working for the BackSoftball campaign a wonderful welcome and with the tickets for the Olympic Softball tournament having sold out a while back, perhaps some of these children will be inspired to compete after watching Thursday’s game if we’re successful in getting the sport re-instated onto the Olympic programme in 2016.”
The 300,000+ tickets for all softball games in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games sold out earlier this year, further underlining the strength of the global BackSoftball campaign led by Mr. Porter.
The eight teams that are competing in the Olympic Games from August 12-21 are Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Netherlands, USA, and Venezuela.
The aim is for softball to return as a sport on the 2016 Games programme after missing out by the narrowest of margins (only one vote) for the London 2012 programme at the 2005 Session of the International Olympic Committee.
For more information contact:
ISF Director of Communications Bruce Wawrzyniak at brucew@internationalsoftball.com or Beijing mobile +86.136 8157 0417
OR
Back Softball Media Relations Director Laura Walden at lwalden@backsoftball.com or Beijing Mobile +86.136 8157 6445