Final Post

With our project, we wanted to raise money to give to an organization to help fund HIV/AIDS research in Africa. We figure that this is an important issue because it is estimated that, in 2007, there were 33.2 million people worldwide who were living with AIDS, not to mention all those who died from it. When we were trying to decide what direction we wanted to go with our charity soccer tournament the people from our class put forward that we should give the money that we would hopefully raise toward something that affected Africa. Naturally, we automatically thought about AIDS since most researchers believe that it originated in sub-Saharan Africa during the twentieth century. It seems obvious that the people of the world needs to do something about the AIDS epidemic, which we are. There is just too much of a disparity in the AIDS epidemic between the "developed" world and "developing" world--96% of those affected in the world live in developing countries. These countries don't have enough resources or technology to adequately find a cure for this (to date, even the "developed" countries in the West have not found a cure). However, our country does have the resources to make an effort to find a cure. We also have money that we can afford to give to African countries so that they can provide prevention tools and materials (without a cure right now, the best option is prevention). Recently the U.S. government committed $15 billion to Africa over a period of five years. Even though we knew that the amount of money we raised would not be anywhere close to the U.S. government's amount, but, as the saying goes, "Every little bit helps." FHI, the organization that our money is going to, employs more than 1,800 people in more than 65 countries. So it goes without saying that they need as much financial help as they can get in order to continue their good work.

The Tournament

The day was gorgeous; we could not have asked for a more beautiful day. We started setting up around 11:00. There were three fields and eight teams. There were also several people who showed up to watch the games. They either had friends playing in the games, or they just wanted to donate to a good cause. We had food, drinks, music, and lots of fun. We also gave away free prizes. Tournament players actually participated in a raffle for chances to win other prizes. We had prized donated by Best Buy, ESPN, DC United, and others. Those who won the raffle won chances to kick soccer balls toward a goal that had signs hung, strung, and taped from the bars of the goal bearing the names of these prizes. We thought it was a great success, and we raised a pretty good amount of money to send to Africa.

Rained Out

For the entire semester, our tournament had been scheduled for Sunday April 20. However, when that day finally came, it was pouring all morning. We had planned to do the tournament rain or shine, but this was different. If we had went through with the tournament, very few people would have showed up. Bon Apetit, who was going to provide hamburgers and hot dogs, would not have been able to show up because they were going to grill. The long and the short of it is that we could not really go through with it. Therefore, it was rescheduled for Saturday April 26.

Actual Fifth Meeting

Last night we met at 10 o'clock. It was short and sweet and to the point, which was for Irene to delegate some of the things that she decided needed to be done to us. Things are finally starting to come together which means that she is finally able to determine what administrative tasks need to be done by us. I am going to try to contact the Resident Directors and Resident Assistants here on campus. I am going to discuss the possibilities of having them make it a floor event to form a team to play in the tournament. I am also going to discuss how they would like us to advertise the tournament in the dorms. Some of the other tasks that were delegated were visiting local businesses and organizations for possible sponsorship of our tournament. Also, two members of our group are going to contact the student government presidents, the athletic directors, and the soccer coaches or area university teams. That's just kind of a rundown on what we accomplished last night.

Almost Fifth Meeting

We were going to meet yesterday, but, unfortunately only about half of us were going to be able to make it. So Irene sent us an e-mail kind of explaining what she was wanting to get accomplished. She also said that there would be an e-mail soon to follow that would delegate certain tasks to each of us.

Fourth Meeting

Tonight was the fourth meeting, but I was only able to go for about 45 minutes. Irene told us about what she had found out from the Student Government President, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, the NCAA, DC United, and a few other groups. She had said earlier that she had a contact in Africa who works with a group dealing with AIDS. Irene had now decided that this was the group that she felt we would help with our project. We also discussed the possibility of getting a mutual friend of hers and mine to play a benefit concert after our charity soccer tournament and clinic.

First Phone Call

I said that I would call Wal-Mart to check about possible sponsorship and/or donations for our event. I did so because one of my family friends (he isn't technically family, but he is as close as one can be without being blood-related) works at Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. All throughout high school the area Wal-Mart would match what my student organizations raised for certain fund-raisers. So, I wanted to check and see if they would do it again or even what the possibilities were for that. I called him tonight to talk to him about it. After explaining the basic outline of what we were wanting to do, I asked him what he thought. He is not in the department who makes those kind of decisions, which I knew before I called him, but he said that it sounded like a good thing. He has a friend who works in that department, and he said that he would talk to him to see what he thought the initial chances of sponsorship would be. I told him that I would get back to him when I knew more.