Planet Aid's School and Community Program is pleased to announce its partnership with the Maryland Bobcats Football Club. The partnership brings a Planet Aid bin to the team's home field at Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Maryland. With more than a decade of history, and thousands of fans, the Bobcats are the first professional men's outdoor soccer team in Maryland.
The football club sought to provide a continual sustainability effort for its team, supporters, and members of the community. Upon researching organizations, they chose Planet Aid. Shortly after, they received a clothing donation bin for the SoccerPlex.
In an interview on Planet Aid's podcast, Keep Me Posted with Planet Aid, Bobcat's Operations Manager Kalin Hicks said, "We are the only club in our league that is doing something like this initiative. It's something that we can take a stand on and be pioneers of…" He also expressed a larger goal, hoping the Bobcats can be "...an influence to other clubs in our community and across the country to help us do something like this with more clubs in more states."
Echoing Hick's sentiments, Bobcats Vice President Idrissa Sesay added his thoughts about the growing role of the organization's community sustainability efforts, saying: "This is just a start, and it's a start that we are happy to be part of...we are definitely pioneers, but we are new to this as well. But we are no stranger to impacting for the good."
Planet Aid School & Community Program Director, Eric Newman, added: "We are excited to provide our program to the thousands of families who attend the Bobcats matches and/or participate in youth soccer programs at the SportsPlex. If this can lead to partnerships with other youth and professional sports organizations, that would be tremendous for us (and the planet.) I thank and commend the Bobcats for their pioneering efforts!"
The Bobcats will host their season opener against Flower City Union on Saturday, April 1 at 7 p.m. at Maryland SoccerPlex . The team is encouraging their fans to bring their clothing donations when they come out to root for the home team.
Bobcat fans can drop off their clothing donations at the yellow bin by the stadium entrance.