 Joseph Domke (l) of Bishop, seen here in the Sagebrush Tournament in Reno, has been nominated to travel to Holland and play soccer in the Friendship Games, an international event designed to foster cooperation between people of different nations. Photo courtesy Erlene Domke Sports Staff 5-1-2008
Eleven-year-old Joseph Domke of Bishop is looking forward to the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to play soccer in Holland while representing the United States at the Friendship Games.
To help Joseph in this endeavor, there will be a fundraiser this weekend at the Tri-County Fairgrounds during the annual Home Show, Friday, May 2 from 6-10 p.m. and Saturday, May 3 from 9-4 p.m.
The fundraiser will feature a raffle of Cookie Lee Jewelry, baskets of Mary Kay items, personal care from Victoria’s Salon and more.
Joseph, born in Bishop on Feb. 21,1997, has been sports- minded since birth, according to his mother, Erlene.
“He is lively and loves and lives life to its fullest and it shows in everything he does,” she said. “He loves humor and funny, crazy music. He is in the dual language program at school, from kindergarten till the present, 5th grade.
“Joseph loves playing baseball, basketball and soccer, and soccer has become his most favorite sport in the last two years out of all the sports he has played,” Erlene explained. “He ran alongside his brother when he was 3 years old, wanting to play soccer, but had to wait to play in AYSO when he was 4.
“He loves hiking, camping, and fishing and playing with his black lab (he definitely is a dog lover),” she said. “One of his future goals in life is to sky dive, and he loves to ride his bicycle and his scooter and roller blades, (and) he loves target practice shooting and can hardly wait till he can be of age to go hunting.
“He loves to read, play his clarinet in the band, and help out in the kitchen, especially when there is something sweet to bake,” she said. “He has been involved in church group activities and AWANA Bible club for kids since he was three and still enjoys it. He likes to travel by any means, and is anxious to learn Dutch and add it to his Spanish and English vocabulary. He already has many friends and wants to make new ones in Holland and along the way. He is quite the people person, and is very excited and looking forward to this great opportunity to play with other teams around the world.”
The Friendship Games are presented by People to People, founded by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956 as a way to promote world friendship and understanding “through one-to-one communications between citizens of different nations,” according to the organization’s fact sheet.
Joseph is one of the Sports Ambassadors, whose focus is on “advancing individual athletic skills through training, assessment and team practice …” While exploring “the culture and heritage of their destinations … they often enjoy special access to noteworthy heritage sites such as museums, monuments, government offices, religious buildings, and more.”
To make a donation for Joseph Domke (Delegate #920116), send to: Office Administrations, People to People Ambassador Programs, P.O. Box 34092, Seattle WA 98124-1902, call (800) 669-7882, or call Robert and Erlene Domke at 872-4617.
More information may be found at www.sportsambassadors.org. |
