Out and About
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. All across the country, people will join together to Wear Blue to support and raise awareness of child abuse prevention. In Kansas City, nine non-profit agencies are working together to raise awareness about what to look for and how YOU can help. For more information, visit www.preventchildabusekc.org.
Sporting Kansas City is partnering with these agencies to raise awareness at the Sporting KC vs. Portland Timbers game on April 27 at Sporting Park. Guests will be greeted at the entrances to the stadium by Pinwheel Gardens. Pinwheels are the national symbol for Prevent Child Abuse America. Guests are free to take a pinwheel from the garden and bring it into the game. Kansas Children’s Service League, the Kansas Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America, will also be hosting a 120th Anniversary Tailgate before the game. For more information, you can contact Monica Enloe at menloe@kcsl.org.
This month's episode of Off the Pitch with Sporting Kansas City is being taped on Wednesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. CT at Hooters (1712 Village W Pkwy, Kansas City, KS) and you're invited! Sporting Kansas City supporters are welcome to attend as Sporting KC Television Network hosts Callum Williams and Jake Yadrich record the hour-long show, including interviews with special guests Jimmy Nielsen and Soony Saad.
All in attendance will have the opportunity to show off their support throughout the taping as background extras for each of the on-camera segments. Be sure to wear your official Sporting Style gear for your cameo appearance! Then tune into Off the Pitch with Sporting KC when it airs at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday on KSMO-TV.
You can also hear from Callum Williams tonight on The Sporting KC Show from 7-8 p.m. CT on Sports Radio 810 WHB. Call 913-3-810-810 to join the discussion.
Looking for a place to catch the USA-Mexico match afterward? Area Hooters locations will be tuned in to the FIFA World Cup Qualifier to cheer on Sporting Kansas City's Matt Besler and Graham Zusi at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Graham Zusi is one of several MLS players featured in Major League Soccer's 2013 Don't Cross The Line campaign. The program promotes unity, respect, fair play, equality and acceptance throughout the soccer community. Other stars in the campaign are Dwayne De Rosario, Robbie Keane, and Thierry Henry.
Click here to those join Zusi by Taking the Pledge online at MLSSoccer.com.
The Kansas City International Auto Show filled Bartle Hall with over 500 cars, trucks, SUV's, crossovers, minivans and one Teal Bunbury accompanied by Sporting Kansas City’s mascot Blue last week. The Sporting KC duo represented official partner Kia with Blue stopping by the Kia booth several times between March 6-10, including Saturday morning in conjunction with Bunbury's visit prior to Sporting KC's match versus Toronto FC.
Bunbury is recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered in a 1-1 draw against the New York Red Bulls on August 26 at Sporting Park last season and in turn remained local for Sporting Kansas City's game against the Eastern Conference foes later that afternoon allowing him the opportunity to attend the Auto Show. The five-day event displayed the latest models and technical achievements among the automotive industry.
Longwood, Florida native and United States Men's National Team midfielder Graham Zusi will throw out the first pitch at the Atlanta Braves versus Detroit Tigers spring training game this afternoon inside Champion Stadium at ESPN Wide World of Sports. Zusi's hometown is just 45 minutes from the complex, which he visited often for soccer tournaments throughout his childhood. Today's game marks the opening of the 2013 spring training schedule for both teams and will start at 12:05 p.m. CT.
This is not the first time a Sporting Kansas City player has been gifted with first pitch honors. On August 14, Teal Bunbury, Kei Kamara, Chance Myers and Jimmy Nielsen helped throw out the first pitch prior to the Kansas City Royals 5-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics at Kauffman Stadium. The game was just six days after Sporting KC secured a shootout victory over the Seattle Sounders FC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final at Sporting Park.
Kamara and Nielsen managed a seamless demonstration, but Bunbury and Myers' weren't quite that graceful. Hopefully, Zusi takes a moment to sit down and talk first pitch strategy with Nielsen before his Major League Baseball debut.
Although, it appears Zusi's already one step ahead of us. @MLS_Insider caught him practicing his fast ball this morning at training:
. @gzusi getting ready for his big moment on the mound. Majestic. twitter.com/MLS_Insider/st…
— MLS Insider (@MLS_Insider) February 22, 2013
Zusi's looking fierce and on point in that clip, but I'm still a little weary of his catcher's track record...
Sporting Kansas City is taking over the KC skyline, starting this week with the first of three billboards to go up across the metropolitan area. The outdoor displays, part of the team's new "Welcome to the Club" marketing campaign for the 2013 season, will be located at the following locations:
- I-435 north of Eastwood Trafficway (facing north)
- I-70 at Lydia (facing east)
- I-35 east of Cambridge Circle (facing south)
Sporting Kansas City's new 30-second television spot debuted earlier this month, featuring Sporting Kansas City season ticket members. Check it out below...
David Dollase is the Director of Safety and Security at Sporting Park and received the 2012 National Sports Safety and Security Professional of the Year Award. He recently travelled to Guatemala for one week and has provided updates, photos and more throughout the trip for SportingKC.com readers. Click here to read his previous entries; below is his final report after returning to Kansas City...
Being back is good, I ate a medium pizza all by myself for lunch today. The flight home was quiet and uneventful, it gave me plenty time to think about the entire trip. I only shared a few stories with you all as it was normally late and there was much to do to get ready for the following day.
I don’t really have a favorite moment to share with you because there were so many that stick out. Just the overall ability to have such a big, positive impact on so many is what makes one feel good about what they have accomplished. I did this blog for those of you that donated to follow along and be able to see the fruits of your gifts, in the smiles and thankfulness on the faces of the people that we touched together.
If I had not been the recipient of so many great donated items these joyous occasions would not have been possible. These accomplishments are due to your generosity and your giving.Thank you to KCUMB for helping to make this happen and from me to you all, Thank You, and from the children of the towns we visited and who’s lives we changed together in a positive way, “Muchas gracias de todo corazon, has hecho muy feliz con nosotros!”
David Dollase is the Director of Safety and Security at Sporting Park and received the 2012 National Sports Safety and Security Professional of the Year Award. He arrived in Guatemala last Saturday and will return to Kansas City tomorrow. He has provided updates, photos and more throughout the trip for SportingKC.com. Click here to read previous entries and check out these photos taken on Friday during a trip to the Mayan ruins...
David Dollase is the Director of Safety and Security at Sporting Park and received the 2012 National Sports Safety and Security Professional of the Year Award. He arrived in Guatemala on Saturday and will return to Kansas City on Feb. 17th. He will be providing updates, photos and more throughout the trip for SportingKC.com. Below is his report; click here to read previous entries.
I took fewer pictures today. It was a day not unlike like the others as far as routine was concerned. The city of El Tahar was only 30 minutes from the hotel and, compared to our previous outings, it felt as though we had barely left the hotel when we arrived at our destination. We set up the clinic in a small church on a two-way street in what would be considered a barrio at best.
Today the students and doctors saw over 500 patients and I was put back to work dispensing medicine. At 11:00 it was so busy that my guide had to come to me to say it was time to go. We only drove about 10 minutes before we arrived at a large metal gate that was being staffed by a teacher who waved us in. As we entered the courtyard, this time it was quiet. After meeting the principal, we were shown the entire school had been put in assembly around the playground.
We spoke with the principal for a few moments and then handed out some shirts to the class of her choice. I explained to her I had jerseys, balls and socks that were for the school's soccer program. She had us come to the playground where we were surrounded by 1,500 students. They sang two songs and then the principal gave a speech of recognition and thankfulness in both Spanish and Mayan. They all waved and clapped as we left them. They followed us to our car then out onto the street. They were so excited.
On the way back I asked our driver about the school and why there were so many children. He laughed and said the day is divided in 1/2 and that 1,500 go in the morning and 1,500 more go in the afternoon. It feels good to know that the donations went to a school that was in great need. Being a public school in Guatemala does not mean you get help from the local government.
The rest of the day was spent working. We did a house call in the afternoon and the doctors who agreed to go requested that I go along for their security. It was described as close and we decided to walk. It was at least seven or eight Guatemalan blocks from where we were, with Guatemalan blocks being much larger than what we are used to in the US.
I stood on the porch outside the one-room house and listened through a concrete hole that was also the window. The woman they were attending to was diagnosed with a broken hip. They repeatedly asked her to agree to a surgery to which she replied she would never do. She said she was old and scared and resigned herself to praying for a miracle and nothing else. They tried to explain that she would surely die if she did not seek help soon. As we left the home and headed back, there were many mini-conversations amongst the people who had attended. Some spoke of previous experiences with loved ones that were similar, some asked each other what they would do if presented with a similar situation while I'm sure the one thought in the back of people's minds was could they have done more.
From my prospective of a literal outsider looking in, I will have to say that what was done was a beautiful and heartfelt house call. I've heard the term “bedside manners" used before. Until today, my understanding of this term was in my mind the doctor being nice while you were in the hospital. The saying took on a much deeper and more altruistic meaning for me today. As I walked behind the group listening to their conversations about the experience, I could only think about how this would be in the minds of the student doctors forever, this day, Valentine's Day. Each and every day has been full of experiences to remember for all of us.
David Dollase is the Director of Safety and Security at Sporting Park and received the 2012 National Sports Safety and Security Professional of the Year Award. He arrived in Guatemala on Saturday and will return to Kansas City on Feb. 17th. He will be providing updates, photos and more throughout the trip for SportingKC.com. Below is his report; click here to read previous entries.
Today was much of the he same as the last two days: load the bus, drive to the location, set up and go. However, today was different in other ways. On the way to Sumpango, our guide was late and we pulled over on the outskirts of a small village built up around a service station at a T-intersection. Under normal circumstances we would have all remained in the bus but something drove me to get off and look around.
We were pulled up next to a very narrow sidewalk with a door directly in front of the opening to the bus door. I stood on the sidewalk wishing for a cup of coffee. Several of the doctors and students soon followed and we crowded the slim slab of concrete. As we were making small talk, an elderly gentleman slowly came up the walkway and without a word slipped between us and pulled out a key to unlock the door we were standing in front of. We moved to the side and as he pushed the door in it revealed a tiny convenience store. The man walked behind the counter and I couldn't resist to follow. We made small talk and soon there were several of us in the small space buying Cokes and milling around.
I asked about a coffee and he said he had none but the lady down the street made excellent coffee. Before I left, I noticed a large plastic jar of gum balls on the counter and asked him how much for the entire jar. He hesitated briefly and said “the entire jar?" I said “si" and we agreed on what I guess was a fair price. He asked why I wanted the whole jar and I explained it was for the children that came to the medical clinic. He seemed excited to sell it for such a cause.
I imagine he did more business on this day then he has done in several years. As I remembered the coffee, I walked out onto the street and turned left. I expected to see a store of sorts but it was a lady with an open fire a few yards away with two silver pots and some food in a makeshift vending hut made of an old shopping cart, some wood and a blanket attached to two trees. Before I could reasonably talk myself out of it I was buying a cup of traditional Guatemalan coffee. To all of you coffee drinkers out there that frequent high dollar shops in the states, I can only say you are all missing out. There is a lot to be said about buying straight from the source as I enjoyed one of the best coffees I've ever had.
Now with that story out of the way, once our guide arrived we were on the way to the town of the day. We arrived at a large meeting hall across from a church to see lines of people already waiting to be seen. We set up shop and went to work. I took a soccer ball from the trunk and went outside to the lines and found some eager children to play ball with. The day's hours went quickly and it wasn't long before our guide said the mayor had selected a school and was ready to go. The school was a few miles from the clinic. Along the way we passed the local laundry that consisted of a large fountain. There were women all along the edges doing their wash by hand.
At the school it was obvious immediately that it was different than others we had visited previously. It was quiet and clean and walled in on all sides. We parked the bus and unloaded the trunks. We were met by the principal who guided us down some precarious steps to a lower courtyard. Once down I could see open doors along a wall where classes were being held. Since each of these visits is a surprise, our guide spends a little time explaining why we are there. This was done in his office and after presenting him with a new soccer ball and shorts, jerseys and used shoes we were asked to meet some of the children.
We stepped outside his office to see two orderly lines of boys and girls all around the ages of 10 or so. We gave them shirts, caps and sunglasses and a couple of used soccer balls donated by the KC Cauldron. It was all smiles and a soccer game between the boys and girls was started almost immediately. We played for a while then it was time for the children to return to class. I peeked in to see one of the classes and noticed the dry erase board had odd markings on it. I asked the principal about it and he said the children were learning to be bilingual. He said they were learning Spanish as well as Mayan to continue their culture and heritage.
The head of the school gave a short speech of thanks and said that they would now be the only public school in town with uniforms just in time for the soccer games that started in a few days. They were very proud and at the same time so immensely grateful.
Once we returned, my day was spent dispensing medicine to the 300-plus people that the KCUMB medical mission saw. Again there were many occasions where our small gesture of giving changed people's lives for the better on so many levels. It makes one wonder what the whole world would be like if everyone made an effort to pay it forward. I can't begin to thank all those who gave for this cause. You have all made so much of an impact on the lives of many, especially the children of Guatemala whose first experience with people from the US of A will remain in their hearts and minds as an impression of kindness and care.