Ruth Maugeri, Gravitate By Design
Ruth Maugeri is the talented force that has managed the GSA USA website for over two years. She donates much of her time to design it and keep our online information up-to-date. Along with her husband Steve, Ruth is the co-founder and creative talent behind the graphic and web design firm Gravitate By Design. The company designs and manages websites and printed materials for clients in various industries, including manufacturing, banking, real estate, aerospace, publishing, technology, education, travel, science, financial services, and entertainment.
Prior to co-founding Gravitate By Design, Ruth was the associate publisher of a Long Island newspaper group and worked on a joint web project with Cablevision and Anton Publications. She has a background in music and the performing arts and loves golf, walking with her dog Lester, and completing Sudoku puzzles. Ruth and her husband live in Vancouver, Washington.
We are so grateful for all of Ruth’s contributions and could never have a website of this caliber without her hard work. Thank you Ruth, for all your efforts!
Ruth getting some inspiration from her doggie Lester
Events
International Youth Day on August 12 On August 12, the United Nations kicked off its 10th annual International Year of Youth in its New York headquarters and around the world. This year’s theme is “Dialogue and Mutual Understanding,” a celebration of young people’s energy, imagination, and contributions to enhancing peace and development.
The UN, one of GSA USA’s partners, established International Youth Day to raise awareness of and give appreciation to young people’s efforts to make a difference in the world. This focus is much in line with GSA USA’s goal to involve youth as much as possible as a pathway to long-term change.
Don’t Miss El Tour—Register Now! The 28th Annual El Tour de Tucson will be here before you know it, so come join the GSA USA team of riders! Register before September 15 to receive an additional prize. El Tour is loads of fun and a great way to meet up with old friends while making new ones.
The November 20 event will benefit several nonprofits, including GSA USA. Once registered, you will receive information on our informal training rides. Contact Dina Delaney for more information or download the registration form here. Registration fees are $100 plus a minimum contribution of $50 to GSA USA.
Join the International Coastal Cleanup on September 25
Every September, thousands of volunteers worldwide comb ponds, lakes, tributaries, rivers, and beaches for litter as part of the International Coastal Cleanup. Last year, nearly 500,000 people in 108 countries (including two GSA USA teams from New York) removed 7.4 million pounds of trash from our waterways.
The Ocean Conservancy’s 25th annual cleanup is scheduled for September 25 and marks the third year of involvement by GSA USA. We encourage you to "think globally, act locally" by planning a cleanup in your community. Learn more by emailing GSA New York Team Captain Kevin Trotta.
GSA Fieldstone at the 2009 International Coastal Cleanup
GSA USA Featured in New Book Global Sports Alliance USA is featured in the new edition of Sports Fields: Design, Construction, and Maintenance, a book by James Puhalla, Jeffrey Krans, and Michael Goatley considered the definitive athletic field reference. In a chapter on environmental stewardship, the book describes GSA USA and highlights our Eco-Friendly Playfield Project at Bear Mountain State Park in New York. The intensively used ten-acre playfield is managed as a model of ecologically compatible natural grass care.
New Trail Benefits New York Schools GSA Team Fieldstone in New York has contracted a team of 12 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) workers to continue the construction of a two-mile trail around the campuses of two New York schools: Willow Grove Middle and Fieldstone Secondary.
The trail, now more than 50 percent complete, will benefit both academic and extracurricular activities. Academically, it will be used for outdoor and environmental education activities; for the cross country teams, the trail will significantly "green" the athletic programs by reducing the need for bus transportation to practices and meets.
Team Fieldstone is using this trail as a springboard to involve town and county officials in additional community walking trail projects throughout the area.
Young Tennis Players Come Together in East Africa The East Africa Safari Junior Tennis Camp, held at the Sadili Oval Sports Academy, hosted a record-number 118 boys and girls from all over Africa and around the globe July 26-August 8. The participants, ranging from 4- to 20-years-old, learned tennis skills along with community and environmental leadership.
The camp was overseen by Director Dr. Liz Odera, a Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) International Clinician and Tester and a GSA USA Champion for Change. Top regional and international visiting coaches also participated in the camp and leadership programs.
Participants at Sadili Oval Sports Academy
Volunteer Spotlight
Volunteer Opportunity for Grant Researcher GSA USA has an ongoing volunteer opportunity for a Grant Researcher. This volunteer will research available grants that match the mission and needs of our organization. The volunteer may work offsite or in our office and will need to communicate via phone and email. Contact Dina Delaney for more information on how to be a part of the GSA team.
Welcome! New volunteer Ariane Mohr-Felsen will be working with GSA USA doing resource development, as well as assisting with the Champions for Change education program. Welcome aboard Ariane!
Eco-Tips
Used Sports Equipment Saves Money and the Earth The kids are preparing to return to school, and fall sports season will be right around the corner. When shopping for sports gear for your kids, why not save a few dollars while being kind to the environment?
Buying or borrowing used sports equipment is a great way to cut costs while cutting down on the raw materials harvested for equipment production. Search online for local businesses that offer used sports equipment, such as eBay or Play It Again Sports. You could also suggest that your local sports league hosts an equipment swap so families can pass down sports equipment to neighbors and friends!
New Partnership
Scottsdale Community Joins the GSA Team GSA USA is now partners with the DC Ranch Community Council, a private golf and residential community in Scottsdale, Arizona. DC Ranch was developed with a deep respect for the integrity of the land and a commitment to the preservation of open desert space.
The DC Ranch Community Council will fly the GSA ecoflag at its upcoming Scottsdale Cycling Festival, held September 30-October 3. The festival will incorporate several environmentally conscious actions, including recycling and consumer waste reduction, along with their 70 mile Tour de Scottsdale that benefits the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. We welcome DC Ranch Community Council to the GSA USA team of organizations that are bringing environmental awareness and action to sports participants and their communities.
Check Out These Resources
Clay’s Corner Clay’s Corner is a blog on the Green Dandelion website, a site focused on sharing recycling, energy conservation, and sustainability ideas through blogs. The content is provided by University Facilities and Services bloggers at GSA partner University of Rochester. Check out the GSA USA shout out in one of Clay’s recent blogs.
The GREEN Corner The Sports Turf Managers of New York (STMONY), a GSA partner, has a website with a valuable Sports and Environment page that is managed by GSA NY Team Captain Kevin Trotta. Check out STMOMY’s “GREEN Corner” to view articles on environmental stewardship in the world of sports.
Judy Clay of University of Rochester’s Green Dandelion, Go Green!
A no-cost way to raise money for non profits. Go to www.goodsearch.com and enter Global Sports Alliance USA as your non-profit of choice. Every time you goodsearch instead of using other search engines to surf the web, money goes to GSA (or any other nonprofit you would like to help out). Please ask your friends to do the same. It adds up fast, and is a great way to help non-profits in this difficult economy.
