ILRSBS Home Run Derby to Benefit the SEED Project

The ILR Sports Business Society will be hosting a Charity Wiffle Ball Tournament that will take place on Monday, April 28st from 3:30-6:00pm in the Arts Quad. Proceeds from the event will benefit SEEDS (Sports for Economic and Educational Development in Senegal). Please contact Alex Smith at aws77@cornell.edu to register. More information is also available on Facebook.

The event will run from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Winners in both the male and female division will receive $20 gift certificates to Collegetown Bagels. Groups can reserve time slots if desired to ensure members can bat consecutively.

The ILR Sports Business Society has chosen the SEED Project to be the organization to benefit from the club's Charity Wiffle Ball Tournament because it is an extremely worthwhile and deserving beneficiary of ILRSBS's social impact activities. This is the second consecutive year SBS has worked to raise money on behalf of SEEDS.  Since its founding in 1998, the SEED Project has worked to provide educational opportunities through the use of sports. The SEED Project is the vision of founder Amadou Gallo Fall, who used basketball to gain access to a college education. Today, the foundation describes its mission as:

The SEED Project develops responsible, thoughtful, and educated leaders capable of contributing to the positive transformation of their communities, country and continent.

With this, the organization works to accomplish these goals largely through the operation of SEEDS Academy, a college-preparatory boarding school in Thies, Senegal. The academy provides free tuition, room, board, and meal plans to some 30 student-athletes. SEEDS Academy further provides Senegalese boys with a year-round, rigorous academic, athletic and leadership development curriculum. More than 20 alumni have gone on to academic and athletic pursuits beyond the academy. Because of the foundation's success and visibility SEEDS was featured in ESPN Films' "Elevate" (trailer below).

More information is available on the SEEDS website and on their Facebook page. The organization can be contacted at info@seedproject.com. 

Charity Event Recap: ILRSBS Dodgeball Tournament

2013 ILRSBS Charity Dodgeball Winners

Written by Melissa Kelly

Last Saturday, March 30th, the ILR Sports Business Society ran a charity dodgeball tournament in the Ramin Room of Bartels Hall. The proceeds raised at the event were to benefit a wonderful philanthropy called SEEDS. The acronym stands for Sports for Education and Economic Development in Senegal, and promotes “the education, healthcare, and athletic prowess of thousands of Senegalese youth striving to make a difference in their world and in the world.” This charity has succeeded in getting more than 20 of its alumni into college programs, some of which have accepted full athletic scholarships. SEEDS is an inspiring charity, and the ILRSBS was honored to donate its proceeds for such a cause. [Read a full background of SEEDS HERE] 

Make the jump to read about the rest of the tournament!

Overall, the turnout was great, as 22 teams squared off in the quest for a champion. Teams came from all over campus, representing clubs, varsity sports teams, fraternities, and groups of friends. Fortunately for the referees, the teams were both competitive and respectful, and the tournament was an absolute success. The winning team was comprised of four of Cornell’s Varsity Football players and were unable to be matched. The first rounds of the tournament were single elimination, but once the final four were decided, the series were best of three. The finale was a nail biter, as it came down to a great battle of the two best teams.

The ILRSBS wants to thank all of those who came out and helped make this tournament such a great success! We plan on making this an annual tournament, so start gathering your teams for next year!