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MLS Seattle Sounders FC

RAVE Foundation and Delta Air Lines Partner to Build New Mini Pitch at Seahurst Elementary in Burien

May 18, 2021 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


SEATTLE, WASH. - Seattle Sounders FC's charitable arm, RAVE Foundation, along with partner Delta Air Lines, today announced the construction of a new mini pitch and renewed playspace at Seahurst Elementary in Burien, Washington. Residing within the Highline Public School District, Seahurst Elementary serves approximately 400 low-income students from diverse backgrounds, with Spanish being the language most spoken within students' homes.

The Seahurst mini pitch marks the seventh mini pitch driven by RAVE Foundation and Sounders FC's effort to Defend the Right to Play in marginalized communities in the Puget Sound region - one of the core tenets of Sounders FC's Social Justice Framework. This mini pitch also marks the third playspace built in partnership with Delta, along with mini pitches located at Valley Ridge Playfield and Valley View Early Learning Center in SeaTac. RAVE Foundation mini pitches are unrentable, meaning they remain open and available at all times to the communities they were built to serve.

"Delta Air Lines has been a true leader in supporting RAVE Foundation's work to Defend the Right to Play for marginalized youth in our region," said RAVE Foundation Executive Director Ashley Fosberg. "Our shared values of investing in the community where we live and work and using soccer to include, educate and inspire youth, demonstrate collective impact at its finest."

Opening in June - with an official celebratory opening event to be announced at a later date - the transformed playspace at Seahurst is designed to be an important community resource. The school's current playground is comprised of sand and does not lend itself to encouraging active play, but through the investment of RAVE Foundation, Delta Air Lines and sustainability partner EarthGen, the renovated space features both a garden greenspace and a mini pitch, providing both a beautiful and functional place for physical activity. The mini pitch itself was constructed with the environment in mind, as its water runoff during rainy season directly feeds the new garden, benefiting the plants and reducing possible pollutants in runoff before they reach storm drains.

"Delta is proud to be a continued partner of the Seattle Sounders FC and the RAVE Foundation," said Tony Gonchar, Delta's Vice President-Seattle. "As a purpose-driven company, giving back to the communities where we live, work and serve is woven into the fabric of our brand. Working to ensure that communities in Seattle have equal access to play spaces is just one of the many ways that Delta lives that promise and is an important part of building a more equitable world."

Earlier this month, former Sounder and current team Brand Amabassador Brad Evans led a virtual all-school assembly for student at Seahurst announcing the upcoming project and then Evans and RAVE Foundation volunteers hosted an all-school ball giveaway, gifting all Seahurst students with a new soccer ball of their own to use on their new field.

Delta Air Lines, the presenting partner of the ONE MILE = ONE BALL program, is a key partner in RAVE Foundation's goal to remove a simple barrier to play by providing quality soccer balls to youth who need them. To date, over 30,000 balls have been given away throughout the region, largely thanks to Delta's support.

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