St. Lucian roots reggae artist Taj Weekes launches TOCO SOCCER in St. Lucia, through his charity They Often Cry Outreach (TOCO), by bringing hundreds of soccer balls, uniforms and equipment to both primary and secondary schools and local charity groups on the island. The soccer gear will be distributed during a press conference in the Conference Room at the Olympic Committee, Olympic House in Barnard Hill on Friday, May 29th at 1:00 pm. Built on the belief that one soccer ball can be not only a source of joy to a child but also improve health, self-discipline, self-esteem and confidence, TOCO SOCCER was inspired by Weekes’ own childhood in St. Lucia, where he experienced first-hand the benefits of the game. Building these traits in children strengthens their ability to move through society with the knowledge that they can live beyond their circumstances and take responsibility for their own health and well-being, an important element in diabetes prevention, so prevalent in St. Lucia today. Through TOCO’s recent efforts, BIOLA University of Southern California has pledged five annual scholarships to qualified soccer players who exhibit strong grade point averages and testing scores. These scholarships will be awarded to St. Lucian students through TOCO SOCCER and are an exciting asset to the charity’s mission. TOCO is collaborating with RISE (St. Lucia) Inc. for this event and is honored to have the support of Dr. Jacqueline Bird and Dr. Stephen King, the latter whom will be addressing the group at the press conference. RISE and TOCO share the common goal of supporting and engaging youth so that they may take the lead in their own development and contribute something of value to the community as well. They Often Cry Outreach (TOCO) was founded in 2008 by Taj Weekes in effort to help underprivileged, at-risk and orphaned children in the Caribbean and beyond through sport, enrichment, educational and wellness programs. With the support of the World Association of Former United Nation Interns and Fellows (WAFUNIF), the International Consortium of Caribbean Professionals (ICCP) has named Taj Weekes a Goodwill Ambassador to the Caribbean in recognition of his efforts through TOCO.
For more information on Taj Weekes, visit www.TajWeekes.com and www.TajAndAdowa.com, www.TheyOftenCryOutreach.org
