Girlz fund-raiser on target with Strikers fans, but…
WHILE projected targets were not met in terms of funds raised from ticket sales in a joint effort with North American Soccer League outfit Fort Lauderdale Strikers, the Jamaica International Female Football Development (JIFFD) has deemed the exercise a success in more substantial ways.
JIFFD President Lavern Deer says the publicity and awareness gathered from exercise “could prove priceless moving forward”.
JIFFD, a Florida-based non-profit organisation set up in part to help raise funds for the starving Jamaica women’s football programme, had partnered with Fort Lauderdale Strikers in a ticket sale drive, with 50 per cent of all tickets sold through JIFFD and its agents going towards the cause.
“While we fell below our projected target in terms of ticket sales and funds raised, the awareness garnered from the partnership was the winner for us on the day, but this is in no way aimed at downplaying the significance of the bottom line,” said Deer.
Apart from that, JIFFD conducted a raffle as another aspect of its fund-raising activities on the day with
Annette Corbett, sister of former Jamaica international Anthony Corbett, emerging the winner of the incentive prize.
She won a return airline ticket courtesy of JIFFD to Jamaica for the Reggae Boyz World Cup qualifying games against Mexico on June 4 and the USA on June 7 at the National Stadium in Kingston and VIP tickets for both encounters.
Deer wishes to thank the Strikers fans for their positive response to the raffle, especially on the day of the game, and says she’s looking forward to working with the club in the future.
With what JIFFD’s activities were able to generate around the match, it will at least enable national women’s coach Vin Blaine to visit South Florida shortly on a scouting mission as he prepares both the National Under-17 and Under-20 teams for upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
A broader goal of JIFFD is to generate income through sponsorships and fund-raising activities to stage training camps in South Florida for these groups ahead of their crucial play-offs.
