Re: WAB Not Cold and Heartless!!!
Check out this link to the Royal City Record's Dec. 15th edition.
http://www.royalcityrecord.com/issues04/123204/sports/123204sp1.html
There you can see the photo of WAB and his helpers.
The feel good story of Christmas 2004 has to be WAB and his Sapperton players serving meals over Christmas to the seniors and other needy folks in New Westminster. When contacted with the news, Larrson was reported to be in deep shock stating that it must have resulted from some funny smoke fumes wafting into the adjoining Sap dressing room a few weeks back, punishment for having just beaten his Leopard mates.
WAB's pal Sid was too busy loading coal into WAB's Christmas present to provide the reporter with his comments on this abrupt change in WAB's demeanour and new found community spirit.
"Teaming up for Christmas giving"
Tom Berridge, Record sports
The Sapperton soccer club has no plans to play the wild rover any more.
The Sapperton Rovers, a fixture in the Vancouver Metro Soccer League premier men's division for the past 10 years, are giving back to the community in a more personal way this Christmas season.
The men's team and members of the M&J Rovers Metro Women's premier league side are collectively volunteering their time to bring the festive spirit to seniors at Century House this month and to those less fortunate at St. Barnabas Church on Christmas Day.
"I don't know why it happened. I just decided that's what I wanted to do and we're doing it," said Sapperton men's coach Bryan Wevers, one of the original Rover players who formed a core group of players from Club Ireland that put down competitive roots in the Royal City in 1994 after the Queen's Park Rangers folded one year earlier.
Wevers, who was part of Sapperton's first league title in the premiership in '96, made the resolution with his wife back in January, and together with former Royal City minor soccer president Peter Vranjkovic, quickly found venues where they could volunteer.
Eleven Rover players turned up at Century House last Wednesday to bus tables and serve a seasonal repast to a full house of seniors. The club will also serve a Christmas lunch for seniors at the Moody Park hall on Dec. 20.
Over Christmas, players will decorate the dining room at St. Barnabas Church on Fifth Avenue on Christmas Eve and then help host the needy for a holiday dinner midday.
"I think they (the seniors) were surprised that so many people from one organization would come out and help out. They were really grateful that we came out," Wevers said. "It was the first time we had gotten involved. It was fun. We worked hard but we wanted to. And we all came away feeling great."
When Wevers took the idea to the team practice, 25 players immediately put their names down on a signup sheet after the training session. "I said, 'you don't have to do this, but it will make you feel good.' I think most people wanted to do that, but they didn't know where to start."
Of the 44 men and women playing for Sapperton, all but a handful signed up for one of the four planned outings. Those that couldn't make one of the dates will likely make a donation of clothes or other needed items.
"I think we have it pretty good and it almost makes you feel bad thinking about others. It just hit me. I needed to do this and I loved it, and we're going to do it again and again," Wevers said. "Soccer players don't do this sort of thing, but they said, 'It made me feel good.'"
Despite living a municipality away in Steveston, the lifelong Richmond resident feels a greater attachment to New West, where the Sapperton club is based.
Ever since coming to Sapperton's east side, Wevers has put on affordable summer soccer camps for youth in the Royal City, while taking time out from his contracting business to do so.
But this time, Wevers wanted to do more and branch out beyond his sporting roots.
"I want Sapperton (soccer club) to be really a part of the community. When we move back to Queen's Park, I want to start something. _ I want that type of organization where we are known in the area. That's what I want. I just want to be a part of the community and help out in that community."
Wevers challenges other city groups and athletic organizations to do something together to help people unknown to them this season.
"I've been there playing soccer for a long time and I just feel a connection there (New West)," Wevers added. "That's where I want to be, where there is a sense of community."
Check out this link to the Royal City Record's Dec. 15th edition.
http://www.royalcityrecord.com/issues04/123204/sports/123204sp1.html
There you can see the photo of WAB and his helpers.
The feel good story of Christmas 2004 has to be WAB and his Sapperton players serving meals over Christmas to the seniors and other needy folks in New Westminster. When contacted with the news, Larrson was reported to be in deep shock stating that it must have resulted from some funny smoke fumes wafting into the adjoining Sap dressing room a few weeks back, punishment for having just beaten his Leopard mates.
WAB's pal Sid was too busy loading coal into WAB's Christmas present to provide the reporter with his comments on this abrupt change in WAB's demeanour and new found community spirit.
"Teaming up for Christmas giving"
Tom Berridge, Record sports
The Sapperton soccer club has no plans to play the wild rover any more.
The Sapperton Rovers, a fixture in the Vancouver Metro Soccer League premier men's division for the past 10 years, are giving back to the community in a more personal way this Christmas season.
The men's team and members of the M&J Rovers Metro Women's premier league side are collectively volunteering their time to bring the festive spirit to seniors at Century House this month and to those less fortunate at St. Barnabas Church on Christmas Day.
"I don't know why it happened. I just decided that's what I wanted to do and we're doing it," said Sapperton men's coach Bryan Wevers, one of the original Rover players who formed a core group of players from Club Ireland that put down competitive roots in the Royal City in 1994 after the Queen's Park Rangers folded one year earlier.
Wevers, who was part of Sapperton's first league title in the premiership in '96, made the resolution with his wife back in January, and together with former Royal City minor soccer president Peter Vranjkovic, quickly found venues where they could volunteer.
Eleven Rover players turned up at Century House last Wednesday to bus tables and serve a seasonal repast to a full house of seniors. The club will also serve a Christmas lunch for seniors at the Moody Park hall on Dec. 20.
Over Christmas, players will decorate the dining room at St. Barnabas Church on Fifth Avenue on Christmas Eve and then help host the needy for a holiday dinner midday.
"I think they (the seniors) were surprised that so many people from one organization would come out and help out. They were really grateful that we came out," Wevers said. "It was the first time we had gotten involved. It was fun. We worked hard but we wanted to. And we all came away feeling great."
When Wevers took the idea to the team practice, 25 players immediately put their names down on a signup sheet after the training session. "I said, 'you don't have to do this, but it will make you feel good.' I think most people wanted to do that, but they didn't know where to start."
Of the 44 men and women playing for Sapperton, all but a handful signed up for one of the four planned outings. Those that couldn't make one of the dates will likely make a donation of clothes or other needed items.
"I think we have it pretty good and it almost makes you feel bad thinking about others. It just hit me. I needed to do this and I loved it, and we're going to do it again and again," Wevers said. "Soccer players don't do this sort of thing, but they said, 'It made me feel good.'"
Despite living a municipality away in Steveston, the lifelong Richmond resident feels a greater attachment to New West, where the Sapperton club is based.
Ever since coming to Sapperton's east side, Wevers has put on affordable summer soccer camps for youth in the Royal City, while taking time out from his contracting business to do so.
But this time, Wevers wanted to do more and branch out beyond his sporting roots.
"I want Sapperton (soccer club) to be really a part of the community. When we move back to Queen's Park, I want to start something. _ I want that type of organization where we are known in the area. That's what I want. I just want to be a part of the community and help out in that community."
Wevers challenges other city groups and athletic organizations to do something together to help people unknown to them this season.
"I've been there playing soccer for a long time and I just feel a connection there (New West)," Wevers added. "That's where I want to be, where there is a sense of community."
