TORONTO LYNX MEDIA RELEASE

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 (TORONTO, ON) - One of Canada’s elite men’s soccer clubs has set its sights on a new goal -- building families for South Africa’s orphaned and abandoned children. Announcing the partnership between the Toronto Lynx Soccer Club and SOS Children’s Villages Canada (SOS), Kelsey Lemon, Partnership Co-ordinator for SOS described the association as a natural progression of the international link that has already been forged between FIFA and SOS Children’s Villages International.

“6 Villages for 2006 is one of the most far-reaching social projects undertaken in the sport sector,” she commented. “6 for 6” is the official charity of the 2006 World Cup which will take place in Germany. The commitment is to raise enough funds by the final whistle to build six new SOS Children’s Villages across the world. The participation of the Toronto Lynx in this project is a huge vote of confidence and support for the work we carry out across the world and is deeply appreciated.” she continued.

The Toronto Lynx organization will work with SOS Canada to raise funds for ‘6 for 6’ and will also help increase public awareness of the crucial work carried out by SOS in more than 130 countries. Earlier this year, the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) agreed to help raise enough funds for a ‘Canada Soccer House’ in the new SOS Children’s Village in Rustenburg, South Africa. The building will be a home for vulnerable and abandoned children, many orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic which has swept over Sub-Saharan Africa. The need is crucial. Estimates indicate that a child is orphaned by HIV/AIDS every 15 seconds.

The children in ‘Canada Soccer House” will grow up in a secure and nurturing family-based environment with an SOS parent and brothers and sisters. The children will also receive long term medical care, education and social support.

Based at Centennial Park Stadium in Etobicoke, the Toronto Lynx Soccer Club is part of the United Soccer League’s professional division which includes the USL First and Second divisions. Nicole Hartrell, the owner and Chief Operating Officer of the Club enthusiastically supports the mission of the SOS Children's Village, stating, "We are proud to be working with SOS Children's Village Canada for such a worthy cause. We believe that soccer is the unifying force in the world of sports that connects us all. The Lynx have a strong tradition of assisting charitable organizations serving the youth in our province, our country and throughout the world and this can only grow as we continue to grow pro soccer in Canada."

One of the world’s largest non-denominational child welfare organizations SOS Children’s Villages provides long-term family-based care for more than 55,000 children in over 130 countries. SOS Villages are outposts of social, medical and educational support for the communities and families around them. In addition to homes and villages, SOS currently operates 570 schools and training centres, more than 320 social and medical centres and initiates emergency relief programs and clinics throughout the world in times of war and natural disaster.