Show Healthier Safer Stronger f f Johann Olaf Koss time 3 OLympic gold now promotes sports for children through Olympic Aid L By Allison Johansson Staff Writer The mantra Every child has the right to play is the slogan for Olympic Aid So what is Olympic Aid It is an athlete- athlete driven profit non-profit organization using sport and play to enhance child development and build community capacity Another slogan is Healthier Safer and Stronger which envisions using sport for development to build a brighter future for children worldwide In 1992 the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Winter Vinter Games decided their legacy and the legacy of the athletes athletes athletes ath ath- ath- ath letes should be more reach far ing than gold medals and world records Olympic Aid was born from the notion that athletes should be able to give back through an established humanitarian humanitarian humanitarian organization Olympic Aids Aid's vision is isa isa isa a world in which every child v Y y e et t t v. v F. F 6 Olympic Aid Volunteers photo by dan enjoys the right to play Olympic Aid athlete ambassador and chairperson Johann Olav Koss a winner of four Olympic gold medals in speed skating has led Olympic Aids efforts since 1994 Johann won two silver and gold medals in the 1992 Albertville games and three golds in the games in Norway his home country After that Johann donated some money from his winning of his gold medals and encouraged other athletes to do the same In the games 18 million dollars was raised from just four million people in Norway Johann has been running running running run run- ning the Organization ever since Through Olympic Aid there is a Sport Play Program to serve as a tool to build childrens children's develop develop- ment The program is for disadvantaged disadvantaged disadvantaged children and also has a refugee program The Sport Play Program builds children cally emotionally socially and ana psychologically It is a very good program for children according to Koss The sports play program program program pro pro- gram sends volunteers overseas to different countries where they implement sport and play pro pro- grams The program sends coaches to implement sports for children It also trains others to tobe tobe tobe be coaches and sets up sport structures within the ties It does everything from building a soccer field or basketball basketball basketball bas bas- court to organizing a play day for the community Olympic Aid is currently in nine countries including East Timor Nepal Afghanistan Angola Ghana Tanzania and Uganda E-bay E has had a big role in Olympic Aid through a partnership partnership partnership partner partner- ship which facilitates online memorabilia auctions Roots the Canadian clothing manufacturer has been amazing in their help towards Olympic Aid Roots donated all of their volunteer uniforms such as jackets pants and sweat sweat- shirts Johann also thanked the athletes for making their donations donations donations dona dona- of Olympic sweatshirts Roots and also helped out oy by paying lor for their melr sweat sweat- shirts At the auction the snowboard snowboard snowboard snow snow- board ridden by US U.S. gold Ross Powers was signed and auctioned for 2500 Two athletes who have been very supportive of Olympic Aid are Eric Bergoust and Dorothy Hamill who went to Ghana with Olympic Aid Another supportive celebrity is Angelina Jolie who was named the Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees Angelina participated in the Round Table Conference on February 9 which brought world leaders together to talk about how sports can be used as asa asa asa a tool for child development Olympic Aid has been a avery avery avery very successful organization and anda a wonderful support for children aspiring to be future athletes Olympic Aid has collected more than 30 million in contributions since its founding The group also buys athletic gear trains coaches and organizes sports for refugee children in war zone camps A 0 |