Here is a letter we just received from Jimi Butler with an update on the efforts to help out the nascent program at Thurgood Marshall Middle School in Temple Hills, MD.

The soccer team at my school is off to a great start with 31 boys trying out for the team. The girls have historically had difficulties fielding a team but the prospects this year look much better than ever.

The members of the boys and girls team wanted me to thank the club personally for the donation of the soccer balls. All of the students were thrilled to death that they were playing with something that actually "looked and felt just like a real soccer ball" as one of the students told me.

We have come to our next dilemma in attempting to field a team this year – uniforms and supplies for both teams.

We basically are starting from scratch!

In years past the boys and girls team had to share the same uniforms on match day (the boys would play, take off the uniforms and then give them to the girls).

According to the Athletic Director the bill for all of the supplies and uniforms (boys and girls) is approximately $2,800. Unfortunately, the county has only budgeted $400, leaving us well short.

The principal at my school has allowed the team to hold a dance on Friday, March 27th to raise money in an attempt to offset some of the costs.

For the match against the Chicago Fire, the girls coach and I are asking the club if we could do a fundraiser at the tailgate to help defray the rest of the costs of outfitting the teams so that they can practice with appropriate equipment and take the field with pride!

Again, I want to thank the club for the help I received thus far in making the soccer team at the school a success thus far.

The SE Community Outreach team is responding by doing a couple of things:

(1) All the proceeds from ticket sales in the Aerie for the Home Opener will now be directed to this effort.

(2) All the SE Gear sales at the tailgate on Saturday will likewise be donated to the Thurgood Marshall program.

If you would like to assist in these efforts, please drop a note to outreach@screaming-eagles.com