S'port Grants Give Kids a Sporting Chance

Toronto, May 2, 2001 -- The S'port for Kids Foundation (SFK) announced today that it will award S'port Grants to three non profit organizations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) that champion amateur sports programs for needy youth, six to 18 years of age. The Grants will be presented at the S'port for Kids Ball 2001, the Foundation's fund raising event, to be held Friday, May 4, 6: 00 - 11:00 p.m., at the Premier Ballroom and Convention Centre, Richmond Hill.

The 2001 S'port Grant recipients are the Toronto City Mission, "Stay in School and Keep the Peace Basketball" organization, established by the Toronto Police Service and Regent Park Community Centre. The Grants will give financially deprived children from "at risk" families a chance to learn fundamental life skills through team sports and provide desperately needed sporting equipment for community organizations.

Among the S'port for Kids Ball supporters will be Canadian Olympic athletes Curtis Hibbert (Gymnastics), Vice-president of Sport and Athletes for the 2008 Toronto Olympic Bid and first Canadian gymnast to win a World Championship Medal; Peter Fonseca, (Marathon) 1996 Canadian Olympic athlete and Canadian Marathon record holder; and Joe Ng, (Table Tennis) three-time Canadian Olympic Team Member; and Tracy Wilson, Canadian Olympic Bronze Medal dance champion and TV figure skating sportscaster. Other sports champions include hockey legend and former MP "Red" Kelly, Andrea McLaughlin Kelly, World Free Skating Champion and Toronto Raptor Vince Carter (on video). Keynote speaker and Canadian Olympic Water Polo medallist, George Gross Jr. will address the value of sport as training ground for personal and professional success.Mayor William (Bill) Bell of Richmond Hill, honorary chair of the Foundation, will greet athletes and dignitaries.

Founded in 1997, the S'port for Kids Foundation is a national charity dedicated to promoting the wholeness of youth through community sports and supporting organizations that motivate children to achieve their full potential and complete higher education. Alex Yuan, President of A&L Computer Software Ltd. established the Foundation to raise awareness of the beneficial affects of amateur sport and to assist organizations in providing opportunities for young people to interact with role models.

 "Many of the 950,000 children in the GTA have the ambition and ability to excel in athletics but are denied the chance to join a team because of a lack of funds," said Alex Yuan, founder of the S'port for Kids Foundation. "Through S'port Grants, kids who otherwise are left to fend for themselves can learn, grow and develop in supportive environments and achieve skills that make it possible for them to further their education."

 The S'port for Kids Foundation is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors, comprised of business and community leaders in the GTA. It relies exclusively on special events and charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations and gifts in kind to support amateur sport. It allocates 100 percent of its net proceeds to deserving youth.

The S'port for Kids Ball 2001 corporate sponsors include - Rogers television, A & L Computer Software Ltd., Kingchurch Nissan, ScotiaMcLeod, AGF Mutual Funds, Dynamic Mutual Funds, Franklin Templeton Investments, Smith Lyons LL.P, Galderma Canada, Premiere Ballroom and Conference, Terry O Communications, CFMT International, Laser Reproduction, Ming Pao Daily News, The Liberal and Richmond Hill Hydro Inc.