You're invited to celebrate with us, learn about SWC programs and services, meet and greet SWC volunteers and supporters!

Local radio station Alice Radio's morning DJ, "No Name," was the Master of Ceremonies at the early dinner event that celebrated 10 years of service, honored various organizational supporters and individual volunteers, and reunited volunteers from around the country.

DVD copies of the 10th Anniversary video tribute, "All Stars - Going the Extra Mile," are now available, as well as other SWC Anniversary and memoriabilia items. Please contact/email us for more information about DVDs/videos, mugs, silicone bracelets, and T-shirts.

The Program from the evening's event can be found here, and words of appreciation from SWC Founder/Executive Director can be found here.

SWC's Volunteer Honorees included:

Emery Clay III (San Rafael, California, recently relocated to Lake Oswego, Oregon)
Emery first joined SWC on a volunteer trip to Mexico in 1998. Since then he has made six return trips with SWC in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2006. Here at home he has worked throughout the years as our California storage facility manager, transporting, inventorying, organizing, and packing equipment in preparation for equipment distribution trips abroad. Emery has also donated endless time, energy, and resources into documenting SWC activities and volunteer trips through photos and video. Emery’s inspirational SWC videos have been instrumental in helping SWC raise funds as well as motivate other supporters and volunteers to action. Currently, the Starfish Television Network is interested in airing some of Emery’s SWC videos.

Kellee Fong (Berkeley, California)
Kellee first became involved with SWC as a graphic designer back in 1998. He initially donated his time designing SWC newsletters and, from 2000 until today, he has created all of SWC’s T-shirt designs. In 2001, Kellee (and his wife, Alicia) made the volunteer trip to Mexico with SWC, and since then has worked here at home coordinating equipment drop-offs in the East Bay Area. It was also through Kellee and Alicia that SWC made contact with Major League Baseball’s Baseball Tomorrow Fund, which resulted in a grant worth over $5,000.

James O'Neil (Essex, Massachusetts)
Jim first became interested in SWC in 2001. He worked to collect little league baseball equipment from around his hometown, packed it all up, and made the volunteer trip to Mexico with SWC in 2002 with two of his young sons, Paul and Danny. Since then Jim has organized several large-scale fundraisers for SWC, including a Celebrity Golf Tournament in 2004, and a Comedy/Dinner event with hockey legend Ray Bourque in 2005. He also distributed equipment donations in the Puerto Vallarta area of Mexico on behalf of SWC in 2006. He also continues to coordinate equipment donations and drop-offs in the East Coast area.

Martha Perez (Ione, California)
Martha has served on the SWC Board of Directors since its inception in 1997. Since then she has made every volunteer trip to Mexico, except for two, including an SWC-organized hurricane relief trip in 2003. In 2000 and 2001, Martha hosted SWC fundraising dinners in the restaurant that she owns in Jackson, California. She has worked tirelessly collecting equipment, recruiting volunteers to travel to Mexico, and acting as a photographer and translator while working in Mexico.

Fred White (Poulsbo, Washington)
Fred first traveled with SWC on a volunteer trip to Mexico in 2001. Since then he has made every trip, collecting equipment in his area to bring down, and has recruited many other volunteers to join in SWC’s efforts. In 2003 he drove a rented cargo van full of equipment into a remote area of Mexico to help with distributions there, and has extended many of his other volunteer trip stays in order to benefit the most children possible. In 2006, Fred surprised SWC by showing up at a volunteer trip in Mexico towing an SWC trailer, a trailer he built and painted with his own two hands, full of sports equipment collected in Washington and California for the children.

Plus ALL PAST VOLUNTEERS will be acknowledged and recognized!

Organizations:

Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines’ relationship with SWC began in 1999, the same year they made their maiden flight to La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. During the inaugural flight celebration at the Governor’s mansion, David Palmer, the Assistant Vice President of Marketing, invited SWC to contact him if there was anything that they could help with. Being true to his word, Alaska Airlines subsequently donated Alaska Airline tickets for various SWC fundraising efforts. And, beginning with SWC’s hurricane relief in 2003, Alaska Airlines has continually donated extra cargo space for SWC volunteers on their flights to Mexico. With their help, more than 10,000 pounds of sports equipment and hurricane relief items has been transported and distributed to those in need.

YMCA of San Francisco
The YMCA of San Francisco first became involved with SWC through equipment donations. Then in 2002, a joint effort began to bring YMCA youth groups to Mexico on “teen service learning” trips during Spring Break. The trips involved collecting, transporting, and distributing sports equipment, and providing sports skills clinics and other mentoring and service activities. Since then, approximately 65 YMCA youth and leaders have made the volunteer/service trip to Mexico, collecting and donating more than 3,200 pounds of sports equipment. They were also instrumental in the collection of massive quantities of hurricane relief items in 2003.

All Star Mentions (partial list):

Ray Allwine
Holden Chinn
Wally Heffner
Lisa Ikuma
Charlie Val
Kathi Yumoto
Hob Zabarsky

Major League Baseball’s Baseball Tomorrow Fund

We look forward to celebrating SWC's accomplishments, honoring SWC supporters and volunteer All-Stars, and reconnecting with all past SWC volunteers. Hope to see you ALL there!