PELE Football Club yesterday gave back to two depressed communities in Georgetown by donating backpacks and school supplies, as the club celebrates its 45th anniversary since its formation on July 18 1971.The club handed out over 23 backpacks and school supplies to youths attending school drawn from the Tiger Bay, Georgetown community and a similar number to youths drawn from the Werk-en-Rust area (Leopold Street).
Chairman of the Pele Alumni Association, Dennis Carrington, who is based in Atlanta, Georgia, told Chronicle Sport the Alumni’s focus is on empowering youths to achieve a good education through sports and academics.
Carrington explained that the Pele Alumni, under the 2016 theme: `Making a better life through Education and Sports’, thought it wise to donate school supplies to youths in depressed communities and that is why they (Alumni) chose Tiger Bay and Werk-en-Rust.
He went on to say that during the 1970s when Pele was founded, education was a low key subject and many youths with the ability to pursue a sporting career did not get a chance to do so, even though they were talented sportsmen and women.
The reason he cited was the fact that they (sportsmen and women) were not given that opportunity to complete their education and this resulted that even though the athletes possessed tremendous talent and potential, they were denied scholarships.
“So what we Pele as a club have been doing over the years, is ensuring that the less fortunate with the ability to excel in sports, get the opportunity to achieve his or her dreams.
Treasurer of the Pele North American Alumni, Patrick `Labba’ Barton, told Chronicle Sport that yesterday there were children who did not receive backpacks and school supplies, since the Alumni did not cater for so many youths. However, those youths were the recipients of other stuff. He did not elaborate.
Barton said before donating school supplies to those recipients, checks were made to ascertain that they were in fact attending school.
When asked who is funding the donation of gifts to the local youths, Barton informed that corporate sponsors of the California City are doing so.
He named CBRE, Richard Ellis Real Estate, Iskander and Associates and TIS as the major sponsors. These sponsors he said have Guyanese roots.
Meanwhile, today the 45th Anniversary celebrations will continue with a Coaches seminar at the Georgetown Football Club starting at 10:00hrs.
This seminar has been organised for 25 specially invited coaches.
There will also be a football camp for youths from primary schools and every participant will receive a football and a backpack with school supplies as well as meals and refreshments.