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| Wyclef Jean | |
SECAUCUS, USA, November 15, 2006 - Three members of the New York Red Bulls soccer team will travel to Haiti later this month for a first hand tour with Grammy Award winning musician Wyclef Jean.
Seventeen-year-old forward Jozy Altidore, whose parents were born and raised in Haiti and immigrated to the United States in the early 70s; forward Jerrod Laventure, whose father was born and raised in Haiti; and midfielder Seth Stammler, will join Jean on the six-day service trip from Thursday, November 30 to Tuesday, December 5.
This will mark the first time Altidore and Laventure will travel to their families' former homeland. "I am very excited to go to Haiti," said Altidore, whose mother grew up in Port-au-Prince, his father in Les Cayes. "I know it will be a very interesting experience for me because my parents were in a situation similar to the one that many of the people living in Haiti now face. It is great to know that I can help make a difference."
"For me personally, this trip hits very close to home and I am truly privileged to be a part of it," added Laventure, whose father grew up in Port-au-Prince. "With all the recent events that have been going on in Haiti, it is a great opportunity for me to help those who truly need it and positively impact the lives of the people we meet."
During their first two days in Haiti, the Red Bulls will join Jean and his Yele Haiti group in Jacmel, where he will be performing a free concert for an estimated 50,000 people, his first since performing with the Fugees in 1997.
The concert is being held in conjunction with the 3rd annual Jacmel Film Festival, which aims to provide the Haitian people the tools to achieve sustainable progress and long-term development.
From there, the Red Bulls will travel to the capital city of Port-au-Prince and conduct instructional clinics and seminars for Haitian children at L'Athletique d'Haiti, the sports non-governmental organization that Yele Haiti supports, L'Athletique d'Haiti.
Founded by former political prisoner Robert Duvall, L'Athletique is one of the main soccer facilities for youth in Haiti. The Red Bulls players will conduct seminars and clinics for the children, coaches and referees.
In addition to the clinics, the Red Bulls will also donate a substantial amount of clothing and soccer equipment which has been collected by Red Bulls Equipment Manager Craig Chmiel over the course of the season. They also plan to visit a few of Yele Haiti's other initiatives.
Yele Haiti's long-term goal is to establish a network of centers throughout the country as a means of supporting youth development through education, vocational training, health services, sports and music. (Hardbeatnews.com)
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