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Trinity hopes to score for youths in Liberia By Nathan Howes SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Trinity United Church wants to give hope to Liberian youths next month with its Bonlay soccer project. The Oakville chapel will be collecting old soccer apparel and equipment March 24 and 31 for children in Bonlay, Liberia -- homeland of church member Marvin Dahn. It's part of a larger effort to bring hope to the remote bush village, an effort that also includes raising money to re-build the roof of a small church, said Trinity's Rev. Darrow Woods. "For as long as I've known him (Dahn), he's had a passion for helping the people in his home country and village, which is way up north in the bush in Liberia, away from big cities and industry," said Woods. "Marvin has gone back there more than once to see what he could do to help. A few years ago, he went over and helped them build a school." Youths usually replace soccer shoes, shin pads, socks and uniforms yearly, but the equipment doesn't wear out, Woods said. This inspired church members to gather gently-used equipment and bring it over to Dahn's home country where soccer, or football as it's known, is popular among children. "It occurred to me living in the GTA, (that) lots of parents have had their kids in organized sports. Every year we register them (and) they get a new uniform. Kids grow, but the uniforms don't wear out," said Woods. "I know that I've got all kinds of extra stuff in my own house and I thought other people are going to have that too, so why not put out a call and see if people would be willing to donate." Woods said they will accept everything from shin pads and socks to soccer balls and jerseys, but they must be clean and usable. If they get enough jerseys, he hopes to put complete teams together by colours. "They may have different names on them, but it's not really going to matter that much. If we can have a green team, yellow team or a red team and a blue team, the kids will know what team they're on," said Woods. Cash donations would be helpful in covering the cost of shipping four barrels overseas, said Woods -- each barrel costs $250. The plan is to ship the barrels in early April, to arrive four to six weeks later -- in time for Dahn's visit to Bonlay. 9 · Thursday, March 22, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER TEAM EFFORT: Trinity United Church officials/volunteers Darrow Woods, left, Marvin Dahn, and Ernie Nock will gather soccer equipment to send to Liberia. On his last visit, Dahn said nearly 80 kids swarmed him. "These are people who literally have nothing, but they're happy people. That's the amazing thing. You can see the sheer poverty on their faces (and) how hard it is." Dahn said if children in Canada were to visit the village, they would be shocked to see how different life is. "It's not like your average school kids here with a nice backpack. They don't even have pencils or anything to sharpen them with," said Dahn. "A lot of the kids there go to school or go to church, if they have to, without shoes." He became well known in his village after he started providing his immediate family with assistance. Word quickly spread to others, inspiring Dahn to do more. "I felt when I saw these people and their needs (that) I have to do something. I thought in my own little way to try to reach out to where the government is not reaching out," said Dahn. "It's not that they don't want to, but they're stretched. I hope people see the need and can do something." Church member and Heart and Stroke Foundation volunteer Ernie Nock said it just takes "one person with a big heart" to get things going -- noting how other outreach programs have started at Trinity. "When Marvin came to us at the end of January, we thought this would be another terrific outreach program for our church. It's an outreach to the community to help people in another country that really needs to be helped and bring them back on their feet." Soccer clothing and equipment or cash donations can be dropped off at the church on March 24 and 31 from 9 a.m.-noon. Trinity United Church is located at 1250 McCraney St. E. Double your RAM event! For F a limited tim me double your RA d AM to t 8GB for free e! 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