Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Lawrence Youth Selected As Sports Ambassador

   A Lawrence County teenager has been selected to serve as a United States delegate in the 2007 People To People Sports Ambassador Program, and fundraising efforts are in the works to help fund his trip to attend the games in Vienna.

    Fifteen-year-old Leoma resident Joshua Thompson, an eighth grade student at Leoma Elementary School, has been selected as the only bowler from Tennessee to join the 2007 Alabama area delegation to Austria.

   The People To People program was founded more than fifty years ago by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in the hopes of cultivating personal growth and development in the student participants, as well as to provide athletic and travel experience.

   Thompson, who has only been bowling for around a year and a half, looks forward to the experience. The teams will gain valuable insight under the instruction of Olympic coaches in their sport. Participants may also earn both high school and college credits for their participation.

   Although Thompson is honored to have been selected to participate, stepfather Randy Allen points out, a significant price tag is attached. “They have to have at least $6,000 up front,” Allen explains, “And that doesn’t include all the money he’ll need to carry with him.”

   Since Thompson’s mother, Belinda, has been laid off from her job and Allen has been off work since injuring his back, they simply cannot afford the cost of the trip. “But I’m going to do everything in my power to get him there,” Allen added.

   Others are stepping in to offer assistance, as well. A benefit bowling tournament has been planned for Sunday, May 27, at Kingpin Lanes, 321 Crews Street. Allen invites the public to come out and support Thompson in this fundraising effort.

   The tournament will begin at 4:00 p.m. Cost for participating is $20 per bowler. A kid’s tournament will also be held, at a cost of $10 per participant. There will also be a silent auction, and door prizes will be awarded.

   Should anyone wish to assist in financing Thompson’s trip, accounts have been established at two local banks. An account at Greene Bank has been established under the names of Robert and Belinda Allen, and an account at First Volunteer Bank is under the name of Robert Allen.