US Sports Camps Donates Nike Hats to Ultimate Peace for the Fourth Year
San Rafael, CA (PRWEB) July 07, 2017 -- For the last four years, US Sports Camps has been a sponsor of Ultimate Peace (UP). Since their sponsorship of UP began in 2013, US Sports Camps has provided over 1,500 Nike hats for UP campers and staff who are exposed to the intense Middle East sun while they play Ultimate (Ultimate Frisbee) for up to 7 hours a day at camp.
Founded by Dr. David Barkan, Linda Sidorsky, and Dori Yaniv in the spring of 2008, Ultimate Peace brings together youth from Palestinian, Arab Israeli, and Israeli Jewish communities to learn, play, and unite through the sport of Ultimate. Ultimate emphasizes teamwork, personal responsibility, and leadership, which is why it's been so effective at bringing together youth who would otherwise never meet due to the regional conflict. With no referees on the field, players must learn to resolve all disputes on their own. These skills transfer into life off of the field in this troubled region.
Camp UP is the culmination of the Ultimate Peace year-round program. The weeklong sessions provide a special opportunity for hundreds of youth from 20 communities to come together in a joyous action-packed overnight camp. Through this intensive immersion experience, barriers are broken down and vital bonds are created through a shared experience of practice, competition, and connection. All teams at camp are mixed culturally/religiously, spending each and every day developing trust, taking risks, and having the time of their lives.
The UP vision is that youth from diverse social and cultural backgrounds around the world will build new understandings, share meaningful experiences, and develop lasting relationships in and beyond the UP program. This is already happening. Many former campers are now the best of friends, crossing cultural and religious lines without fear or prejudice, even outside of program boundaries.
Camp UP ran its first program in 2010 and now heads into its 8th consecutive season in 2017, where over 200 youth will be served. Located in Ashkelon, Israel, camp offers expert instruction from some of the best players and coaches in the world, all of whom volunteer their time to travel to and work at Camp UP. The camp program also focuses on community building through recreational activities and cross-cultural sharing.
"It’s hard to quantify the value of the US Sports Camps’ gift," explains Dr. David Barkan, CEO of Ultimate Peace. "These Nike Hats not only cover and protect the heads of our hard-working youth while they brave extreme heat and humidity, but they remind these Middle East teens that someone far away cares about them. They are told and understand that a group of people who know the power of sports and community wants to invest in their safe and healthy futures. That is impact in action.”
Beyond Camp UP, 500 youth are now playing Ultimate year round while involved in dynamic educational UP programming. The 3-year youth leadership program has been training new cohorts of 20 multicultural teens for 5 years and grows every year. 3-4 new communities join UP each year.
More information about Ultimate Peace can be found online at http://www.ultimatepeace.org.
About US Sports Camps, Inc.
US Sports Camps (USSC), headquartered in San Rafael, California, is America’s largest sports camp network and the licensed operator of Nike Sports Camps. The company has offered summer camps since 1975 with the same mission that defines it today: to shape a lifelong enjoyment of athletics through high-quality sports education and skill enhancement. Players, coaches, parents and others interested in US Sports Camps can visit the company’s website at http://www.USSportsCamps.com.
Steve Pence, US Sports Camps, http://www.ussportscamps.com, +1 415-451-2206, [email protected]
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