Friday, November 14, 2008

Non-profit seeks to sponsor athletes

Focus on Olympic hopefuls


By DELLA SENTILLES
Express Staff Writer

It is often a challenge for athletes to make ends meet, especially amateur athletes training to make it to the Olympic Games. America for Gold, a new non-profit based in Colorado Springs, Colorado is trying to fix that, and they are looking for local athletes to sponsor.

"We are taking applications for anybody," said Founder and Executive Director Kevin Montford.

A former pentathlete, Montford said he was inspired to create the group after experiencing first hand the financial hardships associated with competing on an international level. In particular, he remembers many of his fellow athletes working two to three jobs and going into credit card debt just to make ends meet.

Montford calculates that, depending on the sport, each American athlete training for the Olympics will spend anywhere from $12,000 to $120,000 annually. The fund supports both able-bodied athletes and those with disabilities. It is meant only for athletes training for either the summer or winter Olympic Games.

America for Gold hopes to give each athlete a yearly stipend of $12,000 to help pay for coaching, nutrition, training, travel and living expenses. Montford said 90 cents of ever dollar raised will go directly to the athletes.

The organization began in August 2008 and as of November has only one corporate sponsor. But Montford hopes that through raising awareness and private donations in amounts as small as $10 per month it can award grants by January 2009.

"Our goal is to get the American public behind the athletes," said Montford. "I want them to be informed and engaged about the athletes are doing and what they need."

To learn more about America for Gold or to make a donation, please visit www.AmericaForGold.org.




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