CPL JACYLN BUELL
Sailors donate sports gear during Op Projection
By Trident Staff
Wrapping up a fundraising initiative that began months ago in Halifax, crew from HMC ships Goose Bay and Moncton recently met up with a youth sports organization in Ghana to donate more than $2,000 of sporting equipment.
The sailors visited participants and administrators from Right to Play Ghana during a visit to Tema, outside of the country’s capital city of Accra. Donations included soccer balls, pumps, water bottles, jersey and uniform materials, and more. While the donation was made at the Rosharon Montessori School in Tema, Right to Play plans to distribute the large amount of equipment across multiple Ghanaian schools.
The project was spearheaded by Goose Bay sailor S1 Frederic Duclos, who was driven by his own love of soccer, as well as his experiences during previous deployments in Afghanistan, to launch the fundraiser. His goal was to connect with communities and give local children a reason to remember the Canadian visit positively, while also helping out the soccer programs at various schools.
Following port visits in Ghana, the ships deployed on Op Projection were set to participate in Exercise Obangame Express off of West Africa. Also on the schedule is a visit to Freetown, South Africa, before returning to Halifax in April.
