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MLS Columbus Crew SC

CSF set to kick off Soccer Aid IV

June 10, 2006 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC News Release


The Crew Soccer Foundation announced today that "Soccer Aid IV," a unique, adrenaline-loaded fund-raiser, will kick off on Tuesday, June 13. The exciting program capitalizes on soccer fans' passion for the sport to raise money for charity through the non-profit arm of Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew.

Through its first three years, Soccer Aid has raised more than $28,000 (over $23,000 net) for the Mid-Ohio Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), which remains the program's primary beneficiary.

The concept is simple: Soccer fans bid on-line at CrewSoccerFoundation.org and TheCrew.com for a chance to win autographed Crew game jerseys, as well as the opportunity to experience the thrill of match day at one-of-a-kind Columbus Crew Stadium.

The winning bidder will not only receive the autographed jersey, but will also be entitled to two Center Circle Club seats to The Crew's game vs. D.C. United on July 8, a Soccer Aid T-shirt, on-field recognition and the opportunity to play a 30-minute scrimmage prior to the July 8 game.

"The Crew and the Crew Soccer Foundation remain committed to supporting the exceptional efforts of JDRF to find a cure for type 1 diabetes, while also striving to assist other worthy causes within our community and fund the good work currently being done by CSF," said Mark McCullers, Crew general manager and president of the CSF board of directors. "Soccer Aid is a terrific program which helps advance each of those imperatives while creating unique experiences and memories."

At least nine jerseys will be available for bidding during each of the three week-long bidding periods. The first bidding period begins on Tuesday, June 13, and runs through June 20. Bidding periods from June 20-27 and June 27-July 4 follow. Details on how to bid for jerseys can be found at CrewSoccerFoundation.org and TheCrew.Com.

Soccer Aid is modeled after the highly successful "Football Aid" program, which was founded by Craig Paterson in the United Kingdom in 2000 (and launched in 2001) out of a father's desire to create an exciting and rewarding way to raise funds for diabetes research. Football Aid now benefits a host of charitable organizations and has spread throughout Europe. It was brought to the United States in 2003 by former Crew head coach Greg Andrulis, whose son, Austin, has type 1 diabetes.

The Crew Soccer Foundation is dedicated to giving back to the community that supports Ohio's Major League Soccer club, by serving as a catalyst for community investment and development. Leveraging the club's unique status as the state's - and region's - acknowledged soccer leader, the CSF works to advance the sport at all levels and enrich the overall quality of life in central Ohio and beyond, with an emphasis on developing the potential of our area's young people.

For more information on Soccer Aid or the Crew Soccer Foundation, please contact Dave Stephany, executive director, at 614-447-4190 or visit us on the Web at www.CrewSoccerFoundation.org. For more information on JDRF, please call Staci Perkins, executive director of the Mid-Ohio Chapter at 614-464-2873.

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