Laurel Soccer Club gets a surprising letter -- 11 years after
a donation to those in need
Written: Oct 02, 2015
  By Kayleen Cubbal
New Castle News
It was 2004 when Vincent Bejgrowicz learned that used youth sports jerseys were needed in third-world countries.
So Bejgrowicz, the president of the Laurel Soccer Club, gathered up 50 obsolete jerseys the club had in storage and took them to a Pittsburgh Riverhounds game.
Bejgrowicz left with a good feeling, hoping that the jerseys would get to their destination, although not really expecting to hear another word.
For 11 years, he did not.
And then, this past summer, he received an email from a recipient whose name he did not recognize.
"Dear Laurel Socccer Club," the letter read, "I hope this email finds you well. My name is Sumelong Killian and I am working as Equipment manager with Cameroon Football Development Program. I have some exciting news to share with you about some recent activities in Cameroon. On 7th August 2015 in Bamenda during super cup. We want to take a minute to thank you for your contribution of jerseys. Because of your generosity, youth in Cameroon have had some materials to take home and will remember this event for a long time.
"There was a great turnout to see our innovative approach to youth development through soccer. Locals firmly believe that super cup has positively impacted the entire community. We at CameroonFDP are very pleased with these outcomes and know it wouldn’t be possible without your contribution. We thank you for helping to make this possible and advance our mission to improve the lives and future of youth Cameroon through our mutual love for the beautiful game. Please enjoy the attached photos of your equipment helping to support our initiative in Cameroon. We look forward to your continued partnership with us, and we hope you will share our good news to your supporters. Sincere Regards, Killian."
Bejgrowicz said the letter took him aback.
"I was shocked to get it," he said. "It was great to see that the Laurel Soccer Club jerseys were still being worn, especially after all this time. We are honored to have donated something that was so appreciated."
The Cameroon Football Development Program is a nonprofit organization based in both Pittsburgh and Cameroon, which helps develop leadership skills in youths through athletics, such as 2015 Super Cup soccer, and other avenues. The program is supported by the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, PA West Soccer Association, and Pittsburgh Dynamo Soccer.
Many people in Cameroon are said to live on less than $1 per day, with a shortage in quality drinking water and electricity. Roads often become impassible during the rainy season and people are confined to their villages, many of which have only footpaths for travel. Although many children attend primary school, they often do not finish secondary school because their families need them to find ways to bring additional income into the household. Access to adequate health facilities is limited and malaria, typhoid and other illnesses are common.
The Laurel Soccer Club, which has been in existence for more than 20 years, used to buy jerseys in bulk and loan them to players.
"They would get worn out and the styles would become discontinued so we couldn't replace them," Bejgrowicz said.
That left the club with numerous used jerseys in storage.
"They were used, but still in good condition," Bejgrowicz said. "We said, what do we do with these."
Enter the plea for used jerseys for those who had nothing. Bejgrowicz said that, according to his records, about 50 jerseys were donated.
Paying it forward is nothing new to the Laurel Soccer Club.
The club shared its inventory when the equipment of a club in Mercer was burned and stolen. It also has donated equipment to Laurel Elementary School and Faith Country Chapel.
"It's nice to be able to make a contribution to kids in a third-world country who are less fortunate," Bejgrowicz said. "It's a good feeling that the Laurel Soccer Club could participate in something like this."
(Email: kcubbal@ncnewsonline.com)
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