Dave Schultz Sports & Wellness Center For Humanity
Donation protected
After the World Championships in 2017, I visited a refugee camp in Lesvos, Greece thanks to my amazing friends, Xander and Zoe Schultz from When We Band Together . Being at the camp opened my eyes to the struggles and hardships that refugees face constantly. They not only cope with being displaced as a result of persecution, conflict, and violence, but also face daily challenges while in the refugee camps.
From my experiences with wrestling, I know that being able to play sports growing up has a transformational impact on people mentally, physically, and emotionally.
I’d love for the men, women, and children at this camp to be able to access and benefit from sports and wellness, specifically wrestling, just like I did.
My dream since that first visit to Lesvos has been to return and bring the sport of wrestling to the camp. When I arrived back to the US, I volunteered with Beat The Streets to learn more about developing young athletes and teaching wrestling with an emphasis on the social and emotional benefits: building character, gaining resilience, and making lifelong friendships. When Xander and Zoe told me that I could teach wrestling at the new Dave Schultz Sport and Wellness Center , I was ecstatic.
Wrestling has given me so much joy, fortitude, and growth. I know it will do the same for refugees too. Please help me to raise the funds we need to build and run our new center.
My friend Rostam Zafari and I will be matching donations up to $10,000. Every bit helps and I am extremely grateful for your support in this project. When We Band Together we can accomplish amazing things!
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Why Sport?
“Sport has an important role to play as a tool for integration and to improve the lives of refugees. Many programs incorporate sport as a mechanism for improving social bonds and peace between refugees and their host communities. Sport has also proven to help improve mental health after war and displacement-related trauma, and can be a particularly useful tool to help youth and children stay healthy, build bonds with teammates and coaches, and to help restore a sense of normalcy after displacement.” (Sportanddev)
Why Wrestling?
Historically, wrestling has been an inclusive sport providing opportunities for
participation worldwide, regardless of geography, race, sex, or physical characteristics. Due to its physical and tactical nature that pushes emotional levels, wrestling participation offers unique moral-development experiences such as maturity of self-concept, decision making, self-control, and sportsmanship. (Gibbons et al., 1995; Solomon, 1997).
Why Greece?
Moria Refugee Camp on the island of Lesvos, Greece, has been described as the “worst refugee camp on earth” by the BBC. Constructed for 2,500 people, the camp currently houses 20,000. Displacement, trauma, extreme overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions make life within the camp dangerous and stressful.
Greece is also the country where my father was born and spent much of his childhood. It is a country that has always been dear to me. The center would relieve some burdens off of the locals who have been impacted by the crisis as well.
In the midst of such desperate circumstances, physical and mental health have largely fallen by the wayside, despite their vital importance. Refugees at Moria are deprived of opportunities to build physical fitness, access counseling and mental health resources, develop peace and friendships across cultures, and generally escape the day-to-day realities of the camp.
To address these needs, WWBT, in collaboration with Humanity Crew, StrengthIn and Yoga and Sport for Refugees, is opening a Sports and Wellness center near Moria camp in Lesvos, Greece. This project aims to help provide individuals with ways to find purpose and growth, as well as a sense of belonging and community.
From my experiences with wrestling, I know that being able to play sports growing up has a transformational impact on people mentally, physically, and emotionally.
I’d love for the men, women, and children at this camp to be able to access and benefit from sports and wellness, specifically wrestling, just like I did.
My dream since that first visit to Lesvos has been to return and bring the sport of wrestling to the camp. When I arrived back to the US, I volunteered with Beat The Streets to learn more about developing young athletes and teaching wrestling with an emphasis on the social and emotional benefits: building character, gaining resilience, and making lifelong friendships. When Xander and Zoe told me that I could teach wrestling at the new Dave Schultz Sport and Wellness Center , I was ecstatic.
Wrestling has given me so much joy, fortitude, and growth. I know it will do the same for refugees too. Please help me to raise the funds we need to build and run our new center.
My friend Rostam Zafari and I will be matching donations up to $10,000. Every bit helps and I am extremely grateful for your support in this project. When We Band Together we can accomplish amazing things!
-------
Why Sport?
“Sport has an important role to play as a tool for integration and to improve the lives of refugees. Many programs incorporate sport as a mechanism for improving social bonds and peace between refugees and their host communities. Sport has also proven to help improve mental health after war and displacement-related trauma, and can be a particularly useful tool to help youth and children stay healthy, build bonds with teammates and coaches, and to help restore a sense of normalcy after displacement.” (Sportanddev)
Why Wrestling?
Historically, wrestling has been an inclusive sport providing opportunities for
participation worldwide, regardless of geography, race, sex, or physical characteristics. Due to its physical and tactical nature that pushes emotional levels, wrestling participation offers unique moral-development experiences such as maturity of self-concept, decision making, self-control, and sportsmanship. (Gibbons et al., 1995; Solomon, 1997).
Why Greece?
Moria Refugee Camp on the island of Lesvos, Greece, has been described as the “worst refugee camp on earth” by the BBC. Constructed for 2,500 people, the camp currently houses 20,000. Displacement, trauma, extreme overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions make life within the camp dangerous and stressful.
Greece is also the country where my father was born and spent much of his childhood. It is a country that has always been dear to me. The center would relieve some burdens off of the locals who have been impacted by the crisis as well.
In the midst of such desperate circumstances, physical and mental health have largely fallen by the wayside, despite their vital importance. Refugees at Moria are deprived of opportunities to build physical fitness, access counseling and mental health resources, develop peace and friendships across cultures, and generally escape the day-to-day realities of the camp.
To address these needs, WWBT, in collaboration with Humanity Crew, StrengthIn and Yoga and Sport for Refugees, is opening a Sports and Wellness center near Moria camp in Lesvos, Greece. This project aims to help provide individuals with ways to find purpose and growth, as well as a sense of belonging and community.
Fundraising team: Helen & Rostam (3)
Zoë Pappis
Organizer
New York, NY
Helen Maroulis
Team member
Rostam Zafari
Team member
