SOCCER Results of the two-day marathon for Haiti Soccer 2013 Haitian National Selection PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - The two-day marathon to support the Haitian National Team was a successful demonstration of national unity where from all levels of Haitian society support was given for the team that will compete for the CONCACAF Gold Cup starting Monday. The organizers of the marathon broadcast from Radio Television Caraibes and raised more than 13 million gourdes ($295,000 [US]). "The whole country stood up behind the Haitian football team," said Daly Valet, one of the initiators of the marathon at the end of the second day of fundraising. "Both in the public sector and the private sector, it was the mass participation. We had reached our goal. I think we surpassed 13 million gourdes." "We, Haitians, when we want, we can. The harvest was great," Daly Valet continued, as quoted in Le Nouvelliste . Many individuals sent 25 gourdes ($0.50 [US]) through their mobile phones. The mayor of Petionville gave 335,000 gourdes ($7,600 [US]), The Bank of the Republic of Haiti gave 500,000 gourdes ($11,300 [US]) and the President of the Republic Michel Martelly and the Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe contributed 100,000 gourdes ($2,250 [US]) each. Haiti embraced the potential of their national team which remained competitive with two of the top teams in the world. Spain, the number one team in the world, on June 8, where it was a 2-1 loss and against Italy, number 5 in the world, on June 12, where the national team drew a tie at 2-2. The money raised through this marathon will be managed exclusively by the organizing committee, said Mr. Vallet. Funds will be disbursed according to the needs of the selection and vouchers of the Haitian Football Federation (FHF), he said, as if to give a guarantee that the money will be well managed. Charmed by the generosity of the people, Daly Vallet sees himself to raise funds for the reconstruction of the National Palace. "I want the national palace to be rebuilt with money from Haitians," he said.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Jul 2013 01:01:42 +0000