A novel solution to dealing with overpriced and hard-to-get sports swag may end up helping to honour fallen Olympian Nodar Kumaritashvili.
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Former major leaguer's family reaches out to mourning Georgians
- February 23, 2010 10:55 PM |
- By Erin Valois
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A novel solution to dealing with overpriced and hard-to-get sports swag may end up helping to honour fallen Olympian Nodar Kumaritashvili.
Last July, former major leaguer Paul Spoljaric's five children grew frustrated trying to find sports souvenirs online, so they decided they could fill a niche by making and marketing their own line of clothing and souvenir cards.
"I thought it was a great idea and just let it flow from there," said Paul's wife Lisa. "They sort of took it one step further."
The five children, now aged five to 11, were given options for where to direct their "Kids with a Kause" fundraiser, and the sports-mad bunch settled on supporting athletes.
Just last Friday, they went live with the website kidzwithakause.com offering clothing, cards and contests.
After the Georgian luger died during a training run on the opening day of the Games, Paul, who pitched for Canada's baseball team at the 2004 Summer Games, and Lisa felt it would be appropriate to have part of their efforts pay tribute to Kumaritashvili.
Now, the site plans to offer a souvenir card of Kumaritashvili available for donations of $1.50, with the proceeds going towards building a luge track in his hometown.
Lisa Spoljaric said she spoke to a member of the Georgian Olympic delegation, and they support the idea for a cash-strapped program.
"We see a tremendous opportunity to have everybody come together and show that we care and pay homage to him," the mother of five said. "If we're able to make a difference, that's all that matters. The Olympics is a time when everyone comes together."
About the Author
- Bruce Arthur Bruce Arthur is the National Post's national sports columnist. A Vancouver native, he has been with the Post since 2001, and a columnist since 2005. He is covering his second Olympics, after the 2008 Games in Beijing. He expects these Games to be slightly less propagandistic, and for China to win slightly fewer medals.
- Joe O'Connor Joe O'Connor is a roving sports feature writer with an open-ended beat. He joined the National Post in 2002, and has spent the past seven years bouncing from sport to sport, offering fresh perspectives and delivering unique stories wherever he goes. Whether it has been getting Don Cherry to open up about his love life; George Chuvalo to talk about heartbreaking loss; or racing down the side of a mountain with former Crazy Canuck, Dave Irwin, the veteran Postie chases a story wherever it leads. Before joining the newspaper he was a two-time silver medalist at the National Magazine Awards. Vancouver will be his first Olympics.
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