The following is a press release issued by Federation of Gay Games on December 29, 2009:
Thirty four lesbian & gay athletes from countries as diverse as South Africa, China, Chile and The Philippines have even greater reason to celebrate the New Year. The international Federation of Gay Games has awarded scholarships to these 34 sports & cultural participants so they can attend and participate in the 2010 Gay Games in Cologne, Germany, from July 31 to August 7, 2010.
Ten additional deserving applicants from Indonesia, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa, and Sri Lanka have been approved, but won’t be able to go to Germany unless US$20,000 in additional scholarship funds are raised. (Games Cologne is separately funding some athletes from Eastern Europe.)
“Many of these athletes face challenges that most of us will never experience,” said Paul Oostenbrug, co-chair of the FGG Scholarship Committee. “Where being openly gay or lesbian can risk life or limb, participating in the Gay Games may seem like a luxury. But the experience is extremely moving for them, and offers our scholarship athletes a chance to learn how the LGBT sports movement can be a vehicle for change in their own community. Without a full scholarship, participation would be impossible.”
Gay Games scholarships include travel, room and board, and waived registration fees, plus special leadership and organizational development programs designed to help participants build local capacity for LGBT sports & cultural programs. The FGG’s Scholarship Fund works in cooperation with the host city scholarship program. For the 2010 Gay Games, Games Cologne is separately funding as many as 200 participants from Eastern Europe. There were more than 100 scholarship recipients at the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago.
Approved and funded scholarship athletes are from countries like South Africa, Argentina, Chile, China, Jamaica, Kenya, Philippines, Taiwan, and Brazil, and include the Chosen FEW, the South African women’s soccer team that won people’s hearts – and a bronze medal – at the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago. The 10 athletes on the waiting list are from countries as diverse as Indonesia, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa, and Sri Lanka.
The ten (10) “waiting list” applicants have been notified that their applications were approved but that the FGG lacks the funding to be able to bring them to Germany. The FGG has redoubled its efforts to secure the funding and is asking individuals and companies to make a donation to the FGG Scholarship Fund so that the final group of athletes on the waiting list can be fully funded. If more than $20,000 is donated, additional scholarships may be awarded, or the FGG will use the funds to support Games Cologne’s efforts in Eastern Europe.
“We ask that everyone with the ability to donate make a contribution this holiday season,” said Oostenbrug. “US$30 pays for one night’s housing. US$250 covers one person’s participation fees, and US$1,600 will fully sponsor one athlete.”
Contributions can be made online at www.gaygames.com/en/donate.
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i am good at running 200 m. and badminton in double ^^
In an earlier posting, I had suggested various ways in which this LGBT centre could increase its revenue in order to meet its the short-term needs. To plan for its long-term survival, it should also adopt a transparent system that guarantees that all donation will be accountable for, that the cost structure is transparent, and that sufficient mechanism is in place to prevent potential misappropriation.
This will give potential donors more assurance that their money will be used only on worthy causes. After this has been achieved, even gays who do not wish to part with their liquid assets could be encouraged to nominate the centre as a beneficiary of their estate.
For example, a gay may nominate the centre to receive 5% of his estate or the death claims of an insurance policy after his death. Since most gays would survive their parents and are childless, it's a good idea for us to nominate such LGBT groups as the beneficiaries rather than die intestate.
Furthermore, by so doing, our liquid assets during survival are totally unaffected. It's only after we pass away that the actual transfers of assets occur. While such gifts may not help the centre in the short-term, in 10, 20, or 30 years, as more benefactors pass away, such LGBT groups' financial positions will be significantly improved.
Senior LGBT members who have no dependants that might need your legacy after you leave this world should seriously consider this worthy action. If you are a Singapore citizen or PR, you could call up the CPF to request for a copy of Nomination Form. No matter how small your CPF balance is, be it $10,000 or $20,000, your thought will be appreciated. If you have other assets, you could call up a lawyer to draft a Will. This little effort does not affect your current financial position, but may mean a lot when you leave this world. Whether your money goes to a worthy cause, a rich government or distant relatives who are already financially independent depends on whether you'd made a Will.
In Singapore, one worthy organisation that we should consider is the Actions for Aids (www.AFA.org.sg), a charity with Institution of Public Character (IPC) status. It has done countless good things for the LGBT community. It needs more money to do even more for the poor HIV-positive persons in Singapore, the ignorant and curious teenagers who are at risk of contracting HIV, and the LGBT community, among others.
I'd encourage more gays who are reading this posting to consider nominating such worthy organisations as beneficiaries of your estate or insurance policies. Depending on where you and your assets are, to do this you might, for example, nominate such organisations in your Will or on the Nomination of Beneficiaries forms for your insurance policies or (for Singapore citizens and PRs) CPF account.
You do not need to nominate such LGBT groups as the sole beneficiaries. You may bequeath just 5 or 10% of your estate or death benefits to them, depending on your individual requirements. The rest could be bequeathed to your surviving loved ones, like your parents and siblings, or your other favourite charitable organisations. As more gays do this, those truly noble and trustworthy LGBT-empowering organisations will grow stronger in the future.
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