Pontiac, MI (July 24, 2008) - The most successful soccer team in minor league history scored big this season with their season long fight to help Cure Tay-Sachs, a disease that is ALWAYS fatal in children. The Michigan Bucks initiated Goals for Dakota at the start of the 2008 Premier Development League (PDL) season, where fans can donate any amount of money per goal that the Bucks scored in the 16 game regular season to help fund the on going research to find the cure for this neurological disorder that usually takes the life of its child victims by age 5. Goals for Dakota was inspired by nine-year-old Dakota Bihn (pictured right) of Olmsted Falls, OH who was diagnosed with Tay-Sachs Disease over two years ago. Following her continuous medical battle, which included a cord blood transplant over two-and-a-half ago, her family and friends started the Cure Tay-Sachs Foundation last year with the hopes of raising over $1,000,000 necessary to pay for the team of medical doctors and researchers that believe the cure is within reach. The Cure Tay-Sachs Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has raised nearly $500,000 in the past nine months. Every dime raised by the foundation is going to fund the cure and has already gifted over $150,000 in medical research to date.
The Bucks finished the PDL regular season with the best record of the league’s 67 teams throughout North America and go into this weekend’s post season playoffs as the league’s #1 overall seed with a 13-1-2 record. During the span of 16 games, the Bucks connected for 40 goals on the season. From commitments thus far, Bucks fans have pledged over $10,000 to the cause. Due to the overwhelming number of supporters that wanted to wait until the final goal tally to commit their pledge, the Bucks have extended the program to continue for the next two weeks through the PDL North American Championship game; to be held on Saturday, August 9 (televised on Fox Soccer Channel). Venues for the semi-final and final matches will be determined through bids and the United Soccer League’s (USL) main office in Tampa, FL. As a bonus to all fans who pledge any amount of money to the Goals for Dakota program, on August 9 the Bucks will draw one donation card and the grand prize winner will receive an autographed soccer jersey from ANY player from Major League Soccer (MLS) or the US Mens or Womens National team.
The Goals for Dakota and CTSF scored a major victory this past week when it was announced that life long Bucks fan Erin Duggan (8 years old) was selected by Disney’s Wondertime Magazine as a Grand Prize winner as Littlest Volunteer for 2008. The parenting magazine judges submissions from volunteer stories from all over North America before selecting their annual winners. Duggan’s inspiration to the Cure Tay Sachs Foundation over the past year helped to recruit over 300 kids from 48 states and six countries to go door-to-door collecting money last November 24 as part of an international campaign called Dakota’s Dream. The children’s efforts from the one afternoon resulted in nearly $50,000 in cash being collected for the Foundation. Disney’s Wondertime magazine representatives and photographers will be on hand this Saturday night to present Erin the grand prize of $5,000; which Erin has pledged to the Goals for Dakota program. Erin will pass along her winnings to Dakota and her family, who will also be present at the Bucks playoff games this weekend.
CTSF President Ken Bihn was overwhelmed with the news last week from Disney headquarters. “Erin is a special kid and has been a great friend to Dakota and the foundation. We were devastated when we learned the news that our daughter was dying of a disease that had no cure. We had two choices; accept it or fight back. We chose to fight back and I can’t tell you how happy we are that we chose this difficult path. Our commitment to find the cure so other families don’t have to suffer as we have in the future have led us to meet great people like Erin Duggan. She represents what is really good in all of our children. Kids helping kids was the theme of Dakota’s Dream and these kids far exceeded our expectations of their capabilities to show leadership at a very young age,” said a grateful Bihn.
If Erin’s last name looks familiar to Buck’s fans it is because she is the youngest of two daughters of Bucks Chairman and CEO Dan Duggan. “Needless to say we are extremely proud of Erin and all the kids who sacrificed hundreds of hours to put the promotion together. The whole Wondertime exercise nearly came to a screeching halt when Erin learned she would first have to write an essay and then have her photo in the paper if she won,” laughed Duggan. “The only trade off is that I promised her that if she won, she could personally give the $5,000 to Dakota. That was all she needed to begin the eight question homework assignment that the judges used to determine the winner.”
A humble Erin Duggan was reached for comment about the incredible honor but was not talking about her role. She understands that she accepts the award on behalf of all 300 kids who collected money last year in the hopes of increasing this to over 1,000 kids for this September 13th Dakota’s Dream II. Erin was happy to hear that the money was coming from her favorite company, Disney. “Everyone told me that if we work hard to get people to know Dakota, they will help her before she dies. Now that Disney knows about Dakota I hope they tell Miley (Cyrus, aka Hanna Montana). I know that if Miley ever met Dakota, she would probably give us enough money to save my friend.”
For those wanting to donate to the Goals For Dakota program, please visit the Bucks web site at www.buckssoccer.com and click on the picture of Dakota on the left hand side of the home page. Part of Dakota’s amazing story is told in video on this link as well. Pledge cards can also be filled out at the Bucks playoff game this Saturday night at Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac. Tickets to the two semi-final matches beginning at 5:30 PM are $14 VIP, $10 Adult reserved and $5 Youth reserved (under 16). Children under 5 are always free to Bucks games. The Bucks will take on the Kalamazoo Outrage in the second half of the night’s doubleheader (7:30 pm kick off).
