7 News Belize

FFB Telethon Fell Short of Financial Target
posted (June 17, 2013)
On Saturday, the Football Federation of Belize held its telethon to raise funds for the National Football Team, the Jaguars as they prepare for their historic appearance at the 2013 Gold Cup.

The FFB set out to raise half a million dollars – but when the final tally was made, they had only raised a little less than $120,000 thousand dollars, leaving them $380,000 thousand dollars short of their target.

That's a major let down – but there were still inspiring stories of members of the public going to the Princess to make five and ten dollar contributions. Still, it's corporate Belize that failed: they came through with only forty thousand dollars – only a third of what was raised.

Today, FFB Executive Member Marlon Kuylen told us they are disappointed but still moving forward.

Jules Vasquez "How much of an effect will this have on the plans going forward that you fell $380,000 short of your target?"

Marlon Kuylen, FFB Executive Member
"Well right now as it is, we owe the players $40,000 for stipends for the last game they played in Guatemala and for what we owe them for Costa Rica because I don't know if I had mentioned it to you but in Costa Rica for coming fourth we were supposed to collect $25,000usd which was promised to the players and when we collected the money we got a check for fifteen hundred and add dollars because the previous administration had owed UNICAF twenty three thousand and add dollars. So a promise is a promise, we can't go to the players and tell them that we didn't collect - we still had to pay them. So whatever we get from the pledges, if we collect all, we will still have to do our very best to make the players comfortable. The most important thing apart than making them comfortable in camp is hoping that we could leave monies behind for them for their families whilst they are out there for the two weeks or so because it won't be a good thing for the players to have to worry about their children at home or having them try to focus on the matches ahead."

Jules Vasquez
"If I see this and I say 'I missed my chance on Saturday and I would still like to do something, what should I do?' "

Marlon Kuylen
"Well, Belize Bank has branches all over the country - if someone wants to help us is just go into the branch and deposit to the Football Federation fo Belize's account (you don't have to give the number, just the name). Also there's a link on our website www.belizefootball.bz that will accept, it has a credit card facility, so any Belizean or anybody at any part of the world can go to that website and donate."

The fund raising effort was aimed at preparing the National team, which costs the FFB approximately $14,000 a week to keep the players fed and in full camp.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize