RAVE FOUNDATION AND SEATTLE STORM CELEBRATE OPENING OF RENOVATED RECREATION SPACE AT MIDWAY PARK IN DES MOINES THIS THURSDAY

Earlier this summer, Sounders FC charitable arm, Seattle Storm and Symetra Life Insurance Company partnered to provide the Midway community with a new mini pitch and basketball court, supporting goals of free and equitable play; Virtual grand opening celebration taking place this Thursday at 10:00 a.m. PT

SEATTLE, WASH. – This Thursday, September 3, at 10:00 a.m. PT, Seattle Sounders FC’s charitable arm, RAVE Foundation and the Seattle Storm, together with the City of Des Moines, are hosting a virtual grand opening celebration for the newly completed mini pitch and basketball court at Midway Park.

Des Moines Deputy Mayor Matt Mahoney will be joined at Midway Park by representatives from Sounders FC, the Storm and Symetra – including former Sounder Lamar Neagle – where the group will address the Des Moines community via Zoom. Neagle will be joined by a selected few local youth to take part in the ceremonial first goal kick and first basket.

Announced earlier this summer, the multi-purpose recreation space at Midway Park is a donation to the community from RAVE Foundation and the Storm, with generous support from Symetra Life Insurance Company. Together, the trio collaborated to invest in this new court intended for free play, meaning that the courts are unrentable by groups or teams, ensuring they remain open at all times for the communities they serve. Situated just east of Pac Highway in a green space desert, Midway Park provides a crucial safe place to play for nearby youth. The new dual soccer and basketball court will be free to all who visit and serves to inspire play and community pride. More information can be found at RaveFoundation.org/Midway.

Sounders FC and the Storm are members of the King County Play Equity Coalition, which is aimed at bringing access to sports and recreation regardless of zip code, language or race. The King County Play Equity Coalition was formed in direct response to results of a 2019 study by the University of Washington’s Center for Leadership in Athletics, in partnership with King County Parks and The Aspen Institute, which found that less than 19 percent of young people in the region get the amount of physical activity recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Coalition is committed to implement the report’s recommendations to remove barriers to physical activity for more kids throughout King County.

Now completed, the court includes specially designed soccer goals and basketball backboards, with artwork that was contributed by students at Midway Elementary as part of a virtual Goals & Hoops For Art event earlier this year. Sounders FC Brand Ambassador and former player Brad Evans and Seattle Storm Associate Head Coach Noelle Quinn joined students as they put imaginations to paper in the art event, led by Midway Elementary Principal Debbie Ellis and Highline Public Schools teacher Marianne Schneeman. The artwork from students was used to add bright and personal touches on Midway Park’s goals and hoop structures at the new court. Youth from the Midway community also participated in a virtual soccer and basketball clinic, hosted by Brad Evans and Seattle Storm’s Sami Whitcomb.

ABOUT RAVE FOUNDATION

RAVE Foundation, the official charitable arm of Sounders FC, was founded in 2013 to serve the greater Puget Sound community. RAVE Foundation’s mission is to build small fields for free play and invest in programs that use soccer as a vehicle to inspire youth and strengthen communities. By building small fields, RAVE Foundation helps remove barriers to participation, providing a place for kids to play freely, be physically active and safe, and to be inclusive stakeholders in their communities.

RAVE Foundation opened its flagship small field at Yesler Terrace Park in the heart of Seattle in 2018, kicking off the foundation’s “RAVE Fields” program, which is dedicated to opening both mini-pitch futsal courts and small soccer fields throughout the region. Field locations are chosen in an effort to Defend the Right to Play in marginalized communities – a key area for change in Sounders FC’s newly adopted Social Justice Platform. RAVE fields may not be rented by groups or teams and must remain open to the community at all times. Recently, RAVE Foundation has invested mini pitches at the old Roxhill Elementary in Seattle, Valley Ridge Park in SeaTac, and Beverly Park Elementary in Burien, with more in the works.

ABOUT SEATTLE STORM

The Seattle Storm is a three-time WNBA championship team committed to bringing a premium professional basketball and entertainment experience to a fan base rich in tradition and support. The organization places high value on community and building platforms to positively impact the overall entertainment, attraction and economy of the Puget Sound region. In addition, the Storm is dedicated to local youth development in the areas of fitness and wellness, with a special emphasis on inspiring leadership, motivation and the empowerment of girls and women. For more information, visit StormBasketball.com.

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