Athletes will get to work with A Brush with Kindness on Saturday, July 24
St. Paul, Minn. - July 21, 2010 - It is sure to be a painting event of Olympic proportions. Members of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Curling and Luge Teams will spend the day volunteering with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity's A Brush with Kindness program on Saturday, July 24.
The Olympians will work alongside other Habitat volunteers, painting the home of Leo & Shirley Leitner, who have lived in their St. Paul home for 51 years. As they have gotten older, it's become increasingly difficult for the couple to keep up with maintenance, so they turned to Twin Cities Habitat for assistance.
A Brush with Kindness is an outreach program designed to preserve homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by offering painting, landscaping, and repair work to low-income homeowners, who are struggling to maintain their homes.
The day of service is part of the U.S. Olympic Committee's Team for Tomorrow Humanitarian Relief Fun, a program where U.S. athletes offer assistance to people in need throughout the country and around the globe. Olympic volunteers scheduled so far include John Benton (curling), Tony Benshoof (lufe), Jessica Schultz (curling, 2006), as well as national team member John Hoffoss (curling).
"We feel blessed to partner with the U.S. Olympians on this project," said Susan Haigh, President of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. "These athletes exemplify so many of the values that drive the mission of our work: integrity, perseverance, community, and hope. They inspire us to reach for the stars and to strive always to make our community, our world, a better place."
The 2010 U.S. Olympic Team consisted of 216 athletes who made history by winning 37 medals, the most of any country at a Winter Olympic Games. The 2010 U.S. Paralympic Team was made up of more than 50 athletes who took away 13 medals, placing fifth. All of America's Olympians and Paralympians returned from the games ready to give back to the communities that supported them on their journeys.
"These Olympic and Paralympic athletes are shining ambassadors for our country when they compete {at the] international level and at the games," said USOC Chief Executive Officer Scott Blackmun. "When they return home, they are looking for ways to continue representing their hometown communities. Through Team for Tomorrow, they can make a tremendous impact and gain an even deeper meaning out of being an Olympic or Paralympic athlete. Habitat provides a means for them to give back from coast to coast, every day of the year."
About Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity
The mission of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity is to eliminate poverty housing from the Twin Cities and to make decent, affordable shelter for all people a matter of conscience. An award-winning nonprofit housing developer, Twin Cities Habitat is committed to building the quality of life, health, and economic prosperity of the region by producing, preserving, and advocating for affordable homeownership - because homes and families are the foundation of successful communities. For more information, visit www.tchabitat.org.
About Team for Tomorrow
Team for Tomorrow is an ongoing relief fund that consists of donations, volunteerism, disaster services, advocacy, and other relief contributions. The goal is to provide U.S. athletes a means to continue spreading the Olympic Ideals of peace, understanding, tolerance, and harmony in the United States and around the world to impoverished areas.
About the USOC
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole entity in the United States whose mission involves training, entering, and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams in the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan-American, and Parapan American Games. In addition to being the steward of the U.S. Olympic Movement, the USOC is the moving force for support of sports in the United States that are on the program of the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American, and Parapan American Games. For more information, visit www.teamusa.org.
matt haugen : 8:43 AM on April 12, 2019
