Page 46 October 2011 A RC A DI A SPORTS PAGE A RC A DI A SPORTS PAGE Sneakers and soccer: Ingleside student kicks in to help By Christina Sampson Thirteen-year-old Madeleine James can’t forget the barefoot orphans who played soccer with balls made of newspaper and plastic bags who had been so friendly to her and her family when they were in Swaziland, Africa this summer. So the Ingleside Middle School student decided to start the Sisee Project to collect donations of new or gently used soccer balls and sneakers. “I formed a really strong bond with them and the least I could give them after being so hospitable was help getting them shoes and soccer balls,” Madeleine said. That friendliness is what inspired her project’s name. “The fi rst afternoon we got there, everyone called my sister and me ‘sisee,’” she said. “And we thought they meant ‘sister’ and were like, ‘Aw, that’s so sweet.’” Later, the girls learned “sisee” is a common term for a young woman, but this did not diminish the friendliness with which the term was used. “The people really made you feel at home,” Madeleine said. “It was a big eye-opener, and it made you realize you ask for a lot of frivolous things.” Madeleine’s grandfather, Tom Wolfe, is a contractor who often works in conjunction with the Camelback Church of Christ and other churches to donate his time, skills and experience to places in need around the world. This year (after a none-too-subtle- request from Madeleine’s sister, Michaela), Madeleine’s grandparents took her, her mom and her sister to help them on the volunteer trip they were taking to Swaziland to build a library so the small college there can be accredited. On Mondays and Thursdays, the three James women climbed into a dilapidated van and traveled to the nearby town Masundvwine where they fed local orphans food donated by the African Christian College. The food fed about 120 orphans, ranging in age from 2 to 17, as part of the Masundvwini Orphan Meals Project. The meals were generally rice and chicken stew, and on Thursdays some hard boiled eggs might be added. The fact that many of them walked barefoot, sometimes up to fi ve miles, to get these meals stuck in Madeleine’s head. She said when they saw the van making its way towards the village, the children often would run after it in packs until it stopped and they clambered aboard, thrilled that they would be saved a few miles of walking. In Masundvwini, older children often arrived carrying younger siblings strapped to their backs. Madeleine is asking for soccer balls and shoes, speci fi cally, sneakers, as the dry terrain isn’t suitable for any other kind of shoe. If anyone prefers to make a monetary contribution, she said it will be used to buy casual, cushioned socks. Donation boxes can be found at Einstein Bros. Bagels, 4401 E. Indian School Road, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays; Berridge Nurseries, 4647 E. Camelback Road, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays; and Leidan Mitchell, 4340 E. Indian School Road, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mondays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, email Madeleine at momproject@hotmail.com. Ingleside student Madeleine James is seeking sneakers and soccer balls for children in Africa. 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At 19 years old, Jean-Paul Oei looks for- ward to competing in the Ford Ironman tria- thalon later this month in Tempe. This is not the fi rst out-of-the-ordinary goal Jean-Paul has set for himself in his young life. Jean-Paul began swimming competitively at age 10, and by age 14 with only two days notice, he swam with hundreds of adults from Alcatraz to San Francisco, coming in second place. And when he heard there was another, even longer swim the very next day (from San Francisco to Sausalito), he took on the chal- lenge and came in 10th place. He has since made the Alcatraz swim eight times--each time as team captain, coach, or to accom- pany a younger swimmer. But what makes Jean-Paul a true standout athlete is his combination of talent and heart. Over the years this future- fi re fi ghter has taught swimming to refugee children living in Arizona and has been named Employee of the Year at the Tennis Club where he works. Not bad for a kid still in his teens. A Fire Science major at MCC, Jean-Paul plans to attend ASU in the Spring. He knows how competitive it is to get in with a local fi re department and believes the training he is do- ing for the Ironman will help him prepare for a career. Additionally, Jean-Paul is an entrepreneur, an outdoor enthusiast, and the go-to person for anything to do with cars and engines. Congratulations, Jean-Paul! Your’e Arcadia’s Athlete of the Month, AND the winner of a $100 gift certi fi cate to Arcadia Sports and Fitness! Do you know an Arcadia athlete who deserves to be recognized by the community? Fill out a Nomination Form at Arcadia Sports & Fitness or www.arcadiadaily.com/athlete.pdf, or drop us a line at athlete@arcadianews.com. HURRY! WE WILL BE CHOOSING ANOTHER WINNER ON NOVEMBER 14TH! Congratulations Jean-Paul Oei! C t l ti of the of the