Vancouver, BC: Local rugby player Jess Neilson is teaming up with the Nak Suu Tigers initiative, a program designed to have a lasting impact on the lives of young people through rugby training and life skill development in Thailand. The program, run by former Canadian international and X-Treme Rugby Wear entrepreneur Eddie Evans, helps to build trust, hope, self-esteem and courage to impact and better the future of young athletes in Thailand.
Neilson, a Thai-Canadian rugby player living in Vancouver, has watched from afar as the recent floods have ravaged through Bangkok, displacing families including members of the Nak Suu Tigers program. Neilson is planning a three-week cleat drive to collect rugby boots for the young players. At the culmination of the cleat drive, Neilson will be flying back to Thailand to personally deliver the boots.
Neilson is also planning to raise funds to buy vans to transport the young players to and from practice. The program currently has to hire vehicles which is not always a safe endeavour through certain neighbourhoods of Bangkok. Neilson has already raised upwards of $450.00 for the program.
"Eddie Evans and the Nak Suu Tigers program believe rugby is a sport that enables these kids to develop a positive direction. Being an avid rugby player myself and also being half-Thai, this really hits home as the game has taught me so many important life skills and these kids really deserve it," Neilson said. "Due to the recent floods in Bangkok, their fields have been flooded and the kids are currently stranded and in desperate need of help."
Jess will be on location for three major rugby events this fall where she is hoping members of the rugby community can support her in the cleat drive. The dates include the November 20th Mini Jamboree, Lower Mainland Women's Finals on November 26th and the Spray League Finals set for December 3rd.
- Nov. 20th: Mini Rugby Jamboree (held at UBC)
- Nov. 26th: Lower Mainland Women's Tier 1 Finals
- Dec. 3rd: Spray League Finals
For more information please contact Jess Neilson at
j.neilson.13@hotmail.com.
To help support the Nak Suu Tigers Cleat Drive and Fundraiser visit Neilson's Facebook page at:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Nak-Suu-Tigers-Cleat-Drive-and-Fundraiser/141123602655294?sk=wall&filter=1-30-
