OCHS girls collect soccer gear donations

Uniforms, other accessories are needed

HELPING OTHERS-Samantha Bartley, left, and Alexandra Kaplan collect used soccer gear to help the less fortunate.

Two Oaks Christian freshmen girls have figured out how to help those less fortunate than themselves through the game that they love so much—soccer.

With the Oaks Christian school motto, "Preparing minds for leadership, hearts for service," in mind, club players on the Apex Tidal Wave girls U15 team, Alexandra Kaplan of Agoura Hills and Samantha Bartley of Westlake Village, have started a service project collecting used soccer gear for teams unable to purchase uniforms or equipment for their kids.

"We are calling our project Kicks for Kids," said Kaplan. "We are collecting gear from other Oaks Christian students and from players on the fields at team practices."

Items collected by Kaplan and Bartley will be sent to PASSBACK, a nonprofit organization that distributes soccer gear to places worldwide.

"We are so lucky to be able to play soccer and get new gear every year, we wanted to figure out a way to help kids who aren’t as lucky as we are," said Bartley.

Anyone interested in donating gear should call Vivienne Kaplan at (818) 575-9206.