Carolina RailHawks News Release - www.carolinarailhawks.com

Tuesday, January 13, 2008

CARY, NC -- Carolina RailHawks defender Caleb Norkus has been keeping busy this off-season by giving back to the community that has embraced him. After the season ended Caleb was one of the first players to jump at the opportunity to be a part of the “Be Active – Swoops’ Challenge” by going into elementary and middle schools to talk about eating healthy and saying fit. But most recently Norkus traveled to the Dominican Republic to lend a helping hand to underprivileged children.

On January 2nd, RailHawks defender Caleb Norkus alongside Danielle, Alexis and Casto Fernandez, traveled to Santiago in the Dominican Republic with G.O. Ministries, Inc, a non-profit organization dedicated to the ministry of short-term missions and the development of global partnerships of ministry.

Norkus was asked to plan and oversee a soccer clinic for underprivileged Haitian and Dominican children. He solicited donations from '95 CASL Elite White team and ended up taking 40 pairs of cleats, 100's of CASL t-shirts, hundreds of dollars of training equipment and gear and some donated RailHawks sportswear.

"This experience has been one of the most fulfilling of my life--professional or personal,” said Caleb Norkus. “Words and pictures can't do it justice. I'm excited to see such a big improvement in the kids skills in such a short period of time, but mostly inspired by the Haitians and Dominicans pure love and passion just for the game of soccer."

So far, Caleb has organized and built goals for the kids out of old, tattered pvc piping, as well as sectioning off a couple of "fields” so that he could better teach them soccer drills and skills.

Soccer is not the only thing Norkus has been doing down in Santiago, he is also helping with a day of feeding children at a facility as well as a 1/2 day of construction/manual labor on a clinic project.

The reception down in the Dominican Republic has been exceptional according to other people involved in the project. Word from Santiago is that the kids' responses were overwhelming when they were given the free t-shirts and especially the cleats. Alexis Fernandez, a Stanley Dentistry sponsored employee, stated ," Typically there is a lot of tension and animosity between Dominican and Haitian kids, but they came to Caleb's clinic knowing that they had to respect each other and it was so cool to witness the unity that was forged!"

“One young boy, after being fitted, jumped up and started squealing and running all around the field, shoelaces flying-- he couldn't even wait to get them tied,” said Ken George, a photographer attached to the mission. “The other kids just kept touching the shirts, and gear and smiling and thanking Caleb and crew in both Spanish and Creole.”

The RailHawks continue to provide positive role models in the community, whether in the Triangle or abroad. The RailHawks also maintain their commitment, along with partners like Stanley Dentistry to give back to people who are less fortunate.

The Carolina RailHawks’ 2009 season ticket drive is in full swing with the “All-Inclusive” package, that includes the Major League Soccer exhibition against the New England Revolution on March 14, 2009, as well as other packages tailored to every soccer fan’s needs. For more information contact the LGFCU Box Office at 919-859-KICK (5425) or visit www.carolinarailhawks.com