“Sports are an incredible way for young people to learn collaboration, develop confidence, and experience new opportunities,” shares donor Siobhan Halmos, “That’s exactly what youth sports teams did for me and I’m grateful to partner with the Community Trust Foundation (CTF) to make sure that’s the case for more youth in our region.
The Halmos-McLean Youth Sports Fund has been a dream of Siobhan and her partner Beth McLean. Siobhan, the daughter of the late Dr. & Mrs. Peter Halmos, discovered her love of sports when she was introduced to her first community league team at the age of 5 and is still enjoying playing today. Her love of sports was a major factor in choosing her profession, working 28 years in recreation, primarily as a recreation supervisor for youth and adult sports.
Beth’s career started as a firefighter in Montgomery County, Maryland. She believes that working with her coworkers as a team fighting fires had a direct correlation to her time playing team sports. After an unfortunate injury, Beth redirected her interests to focus on seniors and helping families navigate the difficult journey of aging parents.
Siobhan and Beth want to ensure that financial capacity is not a barrier to kids experiencing the joys and benefits of playing recreational sports.
Youth who play sports are more resilient and able to cope more effectively in the chaotic times we find ourselves in,” stated Leah Shaffer, executive director of CTF. “Everyone deserves the chance to play sports and we’re honored to help our donors make that happen for our community.”
Grants will support nonprofit youth sports programs in Allegany, Garrett, or Mineral County that promote youth activity and healthy living for children under the age of 16 or people with special needs. Funding is intended to remove obstacles inhibiting participation such as participant fees or equipment needs.
The Community Trust Foundation (CTF) is your local community foundation created with gifts from generous people committed to local causes. Through the support of its donors, the Foundation grants to local nonprofit organizations working to build a stronger community in the areas of Arts & Historical Preservation, Health & Wellness, Recreation & Thriving Environment, and Education & Youth Leadership. Connecting philanthropy with community good in Allegany, Garrett, and Mineral Counties. FOR GOOD – FOREVER. For more information call 301-876-9172.