March 6, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M soccer team recently donated 50 soccer balls to children in Afghanistan through Operation Soccer Smiles.
Operation Soccer Smiles is a project developed to get soccer balls into the hands of children in Zabul Province, Afghanstan. Susie Junek, who lives in Caldwell and graduated from A&M in 1979, met LTC James Overbye when she sent him and his men a care package to Afghanistan. When he thanked her via email she asked if there was anything else she could do to help and Overbye mentioned a desire to obtain soccer balls for the children in his area of Afghanistan. As they talked, they decided that his endeavor needed a name, and Operation Soccer Smiles was born.
Junek volunteered to contact the University to see if they would be willing to donate soccer balls. After hearing about Operation Soccer Smiles, A&M head soccer coach G Guerrieri immediately wanted to help. He arranged for a donation and the Aggie soccer team's 50 soccer balls arrived in Afghanistan last week. Overbye's team has begun distribution of the A&M soccer balls, so Guerrieri and his soccer team's generosity is already having an impact and putting smiles on the faces of children who rarely have a reason to smile.
In a country wracked with poverty, most of the families in Afghanistan struggle daily. The children there often have nothing and receiving something as small as a pair of socks or gloves or even a piece of candy from a soldier brings a smile to their faces and forges a bond. The soccer balls being collected and distributed through Operation Soccer Smiles have the potential to make a big difference in numerous ways.
If you would like to donate to Operation Soccer Smiles or for more information contact Susie Junek at 979-272-3403 or susie@3403.com. More information can also be found at www.OperationSoccerSmiles.org.
For more information about Texas A&M soccer, log on to AggieAthletics.com.
(Story is compliments of Susie Janek)