Spartan Football To Help Samoa Relief Effort

San Jose State Football Partners With WorldVision For Relief To American Samoa, Western Samoa and South Pacific Islands; More Schools Join In

Courtesy of San Jose State University Athletics


With the recent earthquake and tsunami disasters centered in the South Pacific that have impacted family and friends connected with the San Jose State University football team, the Spartans are teaming with WorldVision International in a fund-raising effort for disaster victims at its October 10 football game against the University of Idaho.

WorldVision International (WorldVision), founded in 1950, is a worldwide humanitarian charity organization that serves close to 100 million people in nearly 100 countries to tackle poverty and injustice regardless of ethnicity, gender, race or religion. More than 3-million donors, hundreds of major corporations and government agencies have trusted their contributions to WorldVision to serve the needy.

"San Jose State is one of the schools taking a leadership role this weekend to help the people of American Samoa, Western Samoa and its neighbor islands begin the road to recovery from their recent disasters. Our football staff is contributing to this cause with open hearts and we are encouraging everyone who comes to our game to contribute, too. Contributions of any amount will go to a very worthwhile cause and will be appreciated by those in need," says San Jose State's Dick Tomey, who has made numerous trips to American Samoa and Western Samoa in his 28-plus years as a football head coach.

Collections at the San Jose State-Idaho football game will occur at the two merchandise booths located on the east and west sides of the stadium through halftime. Those who donate will be entered into a prize drawing for an autographed San Jose State football.

Tomey has spoken with head coaches June Jones of Southern Methodist University (SMU) and Greg McMackin of the University of Hawaii and reports that both teams and the University of Washington will undertake similar fund-raising efforts at their home games against East Carolina, Fresno State and Arizona, respectively, on October 10. Donations collected at the SMU-East Carolina and Washington-Arizona games will be channeled through WorldVision while the Red Cross will process contributions from the Hawaii-Fresno State contest..