Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/26/16
The HEADstring Project, a joint diversity, inclusion and awareness initiative between The Philadelphia Lacrosse Association (PLA) and the HEADstrong Foundation™, donated close to 150 restrung and refurbished sticks this spring to support high school and middle school programs in the City of Philadelphia.
The PLA delivered 63 girls’ and 84 boys’ sticks, most of them restrung with “HEADstring” mesh and fitted with new shafts, to representatives of the Philadelphia School District.
“Coming on top of the several hundred sticks provided in the past few years, these donations continue to help our efforts to grow lacrosse in Philadelphia,” according to Tom McLaughlin, the School District’s Boys’ Lacrosse Chair. “Your generous support for the Philadelphia Public League is greatly appreciated.”
The HEADstring Project (www.headstringproject.com) is a collaborative effort to get sticks into the hands of players in underserved areas while infusing the values and messages associated with the HEADstrong Foundation™ and its founder, Nicholas “HEAD” Colleluori.
The initiative, in its fourth year, allows donated sticks to be refurbished by volunteer student athletes using HEADstrong’s signature lime green mesh. Once completed, the sticks are donated by the PLA to support diversity, inclusion and the growth of game. The PLA also donated dozens of HEADstring Project sticks to support lacrosse in Norristown this year.
“We continue to be excited to partner with the HEADstrong Foundation™ and appreciate its support in reaching hundreds of young players with a positive message and helping the game expand on new frontiers,” said Scott Growney, PLA board member and Director of the HEADstrong Project. “We hope the initiative will inspire more teams and players to organize stick donation drives and attract volunteer to help refurbish the sticks.
“Volunteers can serve the community by spreading blood cancer awareness, communicating lessons about character and determination reminiscent of HEADstrong’s namesake, and supporting lacrosse in non-traditional areas.”
“We wish to thank the PLA and the Philadelphia Public League for their support and interest in helping us promote blood cancer awareness through the HEADstring Project,” said Cheryl Colleluori, HEADstrong President and Nick’s Mom. “The response from teams and players who have volunteered time to collect, restring and recycle sticks and support the program, all while helping to share the HEADstrong story, is heart-warming.”
The PLA, the HEADstrong Foundation™ and the Philadelphia Public League wish to thank the teams and volunteers who have helped with the HEADstring Project to date. Click here for the list of HEADstring Project volunteers, many of whom have received community service credit for their efforts.
Directors of the Chapter Challenge are also asking all teams playing in the boys’ and girls’ youth tournament this weekend to bring used sticks to support the initiative.
Individuals, coaches and teams can register to support the program by visiting registering on the HEADstring Project website (click here). The PLA currently has heads that need to be restrung and is looking for new volunteers to help the cause!
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