More photos from Africa

Below are more photos from Philip in Africa. The kids are having a blast with your donated soccer balls! Many thanks to all who have made donations!

Letter and photos from Africa

Trudy,
I would like to extend a sincere thank you to you and your staff for sending these soccer balls, we will be handing them out to the children in the town of Dikhil, Djibouti and the village of Kontali, Djibouti. This will no doubt brighten their day enormously, they love soccer and play every day. If it would be okay with you I would like to send you back some pictures of the children when we give them your donations.
Many Many Thanks, Phillip

Soccer Nets donated by Maryland Soccer Foundation, Montgomery County, MD

We are pleased to have received another donation from Maryland Soccer Foundation in Montgomery County, Maryland. Thanks to Executive Director Trish Heffelfinger, we have 27 used soccer goal nets to send to Iraq! Trish responded to a request for nets in the past and remembered us this year when the old nets were replaced.

We have a new contact in Iraq, Donavan, and he has agreed to distribute the nets to areas where needed. Donavan said he has seen fields without soccer nets so they will be appreciated!

Many thanks to Trish Heffelfinger and the Maryland Soccer Foundation for their generous contribution. And thank you Donavan for helping to find homes for the nets in Iraq and going above and beyond your duties!

With appreciation to all our military men and women and their families on this, the 9th anniversary of 9-11.

Donation from the Women of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Abdingdon, MD

A big Thank you to the Women of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Abdingdon, Maryland, for their generous donation of $75.00 to Eric's Goal! This donation will cover the cost of postage for our next shipment to Iraq, Afghanistan or Africa. Monetary donations are greatly appreciated and are used to cover shipping and operating expenses only.

We truly appreciate your selection of Eric's Goal to receive your contribution. Thank you!

Eric's Goal Staff

Andrew DeLaere's 8th Birthday Party Collection!

Happy 8th Birthday Andrew DeLaere! Thank you Andrew for sharing your birthday with other children. It was very generous of you to ask for gifts for others on your big day! The items you collected will be sent to children in either Iraq, Afghanistan or Africa. Where ever your presents are sent, there will be many happy kids to receive them!

Andrew's father is in the Navy and was recently deployed, so Andrew and his family know all about the sacrifices that military familys make on a daily basis. We would like to thank you and your family for all you do for our country Andrew! Many thanks to you and your Mom for delivering the items to us over the weekend.

Here is a list of Andrew's donations:

30 Balls, (26 new & 4 used)
6 Pairs of Shin guards (3 new & 3 used)
4 Pairs of Cleats (1 new & 3 used)
2 Pair Soccer Socks (new)
2 Soccer Ball Pumps (new)
2 sets Soccer Cones (new)
Inflating Needles (new)

Preston Durkee of Livonia, N.Y.

Our thanks to Mr. Preston Durkee who donated $100.00 to Eric's Goal in January of 2010. His donation helped cover the cost of postage to send the last couple of collections to Iraq. Mr. Durkee is an 87 year old Veteran who served in the Air Force as a Radio Man in China!

Thank you Mr. Durkee for your service to our Nation and thank you for donating to our cause and in turn helping the children of Iraq!

Colby and William Snyder from Maryland collect for Eric' Goal!

Thank you to Colby and William Snyder from Maryland, who collected new and used soccer balls and equipment for the Iraqi children! Your donations were also sent to Airman Mike Songer and were given to Iraqi children in orphanages. They too will be playing with your donations by now! Here is a list of your donated items:

Soccer Balls: 12
Pump: 1
Cleats: 10 Pr.
Shin Guards: 1 Pr.
Pennies: 5
Pants: 2
Socks: 10
Jerseys: 61
T-shirts: 53
Hats: 7
Shorts: 5
Jackets: 9

Tricia Davis' Cub Scout Den, Millersville, MD collects for ERIC's GOAL!

Mrs. Tricia Davis' Millersville Cub Scout Den collected soccer balls and items for Iraqi children earlier this year. Their donations along with another, were sent to Airman Mike Songer who recently helped to distribute them to children in orphanages in Iraq. Mike is working on getting copies of the photos taken during the delivery and we will post them when received!

Thank you to Tricia Davis and her Cub Scout Den! There should be many excited Iraqi children playing with you donated goods at this very moment!

Below is a list of the items collected:

Soccer Balls: 36

Pairs of Socks: 89

Net Bag: 1

Cleats: 27

Shin Guards: 16

Goalie Gloves: 1

Jerseys: 58

Pennies: 5

Pair of Shorts: 25

T-shirts: 11

Donations from Ashley & Sarah in Pennsylvania!!

A big "Thank You" to Ashley & Sarah for collecting donations for Eric's Goal! They worked at their collection for months and we were finally able to meet Ashley's Dad to pick up their generous donations! They did a great job of deflating the balls and packing them in boxes that are easy to ship. The following items were collected by these young ladies and will be enjoyed by children in Africa and/or Iraq.

Soccer Balls: 58
Socks: 29
Shin guards: 19
Cleats: 46
T-Shirts: 11
Jerseys: 56
Pennies: 32
Cones: 36
Shorts: 45
Sweat Pants: 4
Pug Goals: 2
Ball Bags: 1
Monetary donations: $150.00

We will be completing the custom forms and sending your donations out within the next several weeks. Thank you again to Ashley & Sarah, for a job well done!

(updated 12-08-09 from re-count)

Thank you letter from Iraq!

We recently received this lovely e-mail from one of the Chaplains in Iraq who we sent soccer balls and equipment to.

Dear Eric's Goal:

Please accept my attached "Thank you Letter" for both, your prayers and the care packages that you provided to our Soldiers in the past year. I want to take this moment before leaving this country after a 12 month deployment from Iraq to thank you for your love, prayers, and the time and effort that you put into sending items for our Soldiers. As we continue our mission in Iraq it is a blessing to receive support from home. We are able to take the items that you sent along with other boxes and distribute them to service members in our unit. Although you may receive no contact from individual Soldiers, please know that each of your care packages were appreciated and that we thank you for thinking of us during this time. Thank you for your powerful prayers for our Soldiers and all the support you have provided.

May God bless you.

CH (CPT) SANG H. KIM
1-77th Field Artillery Battalion "Falcons First"

DONATIONS FROM PETE NOEL, LANGHORNE PA & THE GRAY AND GUENTHER FAMILIES

Pete Noel has helped us all again this year by collecting more soccer balls and equipment. This time they will be sent to our military men and women in Africa for distribution to the children there. Many will go to kids in orphanages.

Thank you to Mr. & Mrs. Pete Noel for meeting me to deliver the goods. And thank you to the Gray and Guenther families from Langhorne PA for their donations. Many children will enjoy the fruits of your labor! Just picture the smiles you are creating.

Above is a list of donated items provided by Pete Noel. Thank you again!

FREEDOM TEAM SALUTE

A few months ago I received an envelope in the mail addressed to me from the U.S. Army. I was not only surprised by the contents, but truly humbled. I found a Freedom Team Salute Certificate of Appreciation and a letter from General George W. Casey, Jr.!

I accept this wonderful salute on your behalf, in your honor. There would be no Eric's Goal without all of you who have collected, contributed, sorted and packed all of the donations we have received over the past few years.

An Army lapel pin was also enclosed and I wear this pin with pride as it was offered: "as a statement of our shared commitment to support America's Soldiers."

Thank you all for your generosity and kindness in supporting our American military and the children of this world. Together we can make a difference.

LETTER FROM COL. MIKE MOURI

We have been most fortunate to have contact with some very amazing people. Col. Mike Mouri is one of them! He has taken the time to write a hand written thank you note for the soccer supplies we have sent to him. The donations have been given to children in orphanages located in the Horn of Africa. His note is copied her so than you may all know the appreciation of these children and of our military men and women.

Many thanks to Col. Mouri and his soldiers for all that they do on a daily basis.

SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND AFRICA

What an honor to receive this certificate and these incredible letters. Our donations that have been shipped to Africa have been appreciated by many! The Operation Enduring Freedom Certificate of Appreciation above is for all who have contributed to Eric's Goal, as are the attached letters.

How humbling to have Col. Christopher G. Torelli and MSG John W. Capuzzzo take the time to write to us on Memorial Day. We do have an amazing military force that work daily to protect and serve and even go the extra mile to provide services to those less fortunate and then take the time to say thank you to us at home for our support.

Many thanks to our Special Operations Command in the Horn of Africa and to all of our military men and women!

Giving Soccer Balls to the children of Afghanistan

Here are some wonderful photos from Mary Z. in Afghanistan. It seems that children the world over can relate to this common sport! How terrific to be able to support our troops and reach out to children in other countries as well! Thank you all for your participation - you make this possible.

"We did receive the three boxes of soccer balls, net bags and flags. Thank you so much.... Attached is a photo of a HA drop we did on 30MAR09. The faces on the children tell the whole story of how happy a soccer ball can make them..... Please thank everyone who donated and we would greatly appreciated more soccer balls. Thank you for supporting the troops.

Mary Z.

Thank you Mary for all you do for our country and the children of Afghanistan!

Sending Soccer Balls to Ethiopia!!!!!

We have expanded our horizons and have begun shipping some of your donated soccer balls to Ethiopia and also to Afghanistan.

We were recently honored to receive the following letter from the Embassy of the United States of America, in Ethiopia!




Our continued thanks to all of you who have donated to Eric's Goal! You are making a positive difference in the lives of many children. We are grateful to each and every one of you.

Thank You to Tom Cruise in Iraq!!!!!

We received the following post card from non other than Tom Cruise - yes that is his real name! But this Tom Cruise is busy handing out soccer balls to the Iraqi children. Tom is with SAIF - Soccer for American Iraqi Friends! He has been handing out soccer balls for quite some time now. Recently we began sending your donations to him. See the post card below for comments from Tom.

Tom has also sent us photos he has taken with the Iraqi children and adults. We have posted them and Tom's comments here, with his permission. Enjoy!!!



"Two teenage boys late at night a few months ago who were very pleased to receive an unexpected gift! Soccer is their only sport and they love it so the balls really do spread cheer!
Shu kran jazeelan Tom"

"Just one photo of my soccer ball give-away program. This little boy was walking home about 7am with a bag of bread and when I stopped him he ran so fast to get the ball it was heart-warming to see his smile! It was a cold morning as you can see a few months ago. Thanks for your help. Tom Cruise"

"Everyone loves soccer balls and the adults all have children so they are pleased with a soccer ball too!
Ma salama Tom"

"Beanie Babies have been a big help for the little girls...and they are not allowed to play soccer so the babies are a great gift for them.
Tom"


"I visit a prosthetics clinic often and give soccer balls to many people who lost limbs in explosions and the victims are seared into your heart and mind. Some might think this is wrong because they are missing limbs, but the fact is the advances in prosthetics have allowed many to still be able to carry on somewhat of a normal life and even play soccer so they lovethe balls even more than most because it shows they can still have a life in many ways. They all are asked first and I have never had anyone refuse and they allhave been very grateful of the soccer balls. Thanks again."

Many thanks to Tom Cruise and fellow members of SAIF. We admire all that you do!

U.S. Soldiers going the extra mile for the Iraqi children!!!!!!

Our soldiers are busy with their regular duties yet find the time to hand out Soccer Balls and equipment to the Iraqi children! Here are some photos sent by our soldiers.

Weiser High School Auto Club, in Weiser, Indiana donates again in 2009!

Thank you to the Weiser High School Auto Club for another donation this year! We received 14 soccer balls, 1 basket ball, 9 miscellaneous balls and 4 pair of cleats! They have already been sent and should be received by the children shortly. This shipment was actually sent to Africa where it will be distributed to children at orphanages. Thank you again for making a positive difference in the lives of others!

Timberlane Middle School in Pennington, N.J. Collects for Eric's Goal!!!!!!!

Today we had the priviledge to meet Bill Russell, and to accept the donations collected by his 6th Grade class at Timberlane Middle School in Pennington, New Jersey!


And what a tremendous collection of donated items it is! Mr. Russell was proud to tell us how hard his students worked on this project, how enthusiastic they were, and how much interest and support they received from their school P.T.O. as
well as their community!

We applaud you all on a job well done! Special thanks to Mr. Bill Russell and his 6th Grade students for collecting the soccer balls, equipment and gear, for counting the items, packing them and loading everything into the rental van for delivery!


A huge thank you to Mr. Russell for not only organizing this drive, but also for driving the van from N.J. to MD. and back to N.J. again to deliver the donations on his day off!


Our thanks to the Timberlane Middle School P.T.O. for supplying the funds to rent the van for the delivery of the collection.

Above and below are photos of Timberlane Middle School's 6th Grade Class hard at work collecting and packing donations to send to the Iraqi children.

The students wrote messages on the soccer balls for the Iraqi kids!

Timberlane Middle School is part of the Hopewell Valley Regional School District in New Jersey.

The balls were deflated by the 6th Grade Class, then counted and packed into boxes ready for posting to our military men and women in Iraq.

The items collected by these 6th Grade students are in bold and italics.

496 Soccer Balls & 4 Pumps

281 Jerseys & 125 Shorts

90 pr of Shin Guards & 146 pr of Cleats

32 Ball Bags & 30 Pinnies

15 pr Goalie Gloves

70 Cones & 23 Back packs

This was the most organized drive we have ever received! The balls are deflated and almost all of the donated items are packed in boxes that are marked with the contents and ready to be mailed! You have saved us a tremendous amount of time and effort and we truly appreciate your hard work!

$523 for postage!

When our American soldiers receive the donations they will distribute them to the Iraqi children. Letters will be sent with each shipment telling our soldiers that these items were collected by Mr. Bill Russell's 6th Grade Class at Timberlane Middle School in Pennington, New Jersey!

CONGRATULATIONS ON A JOB WELL DONE AND THANK YOU to MR. BILL RUSSELL AND HIS 6TH GRADE CLASS AT TIMBERLANE MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!!!!!