Andrew Ference and Steve Montador Visit Right To Play Projects in Tanzania

Join Andrew Ference and Steve Montador in their Support of Right To Play

July 2007 - Having seen the impact of Right To Play's work on the ground, NHL players Andrew Ference and Steve Montador are determined to spread the word back in Canada any way they can.

The two Right To Play Athlete Ambassdors returned to North America on July 9 after a week visiting Right To Play programs in Tanzania. They spend time in the captial of Dar es Salaam and in the north of the country in the Serengeti region. Throughout their travels, they visited Right To Play partner schools and orphanages, took part in Play Days, celebrations for the Day of the African Child, and witnessed the incredible joy of children having fun and learning through the power of sport.

"I've seen enough to know there are situations that need help, but there's a lot of good work going on here," said Ference, a smooth skating defenceman for the Boston Bruins. "It makes everything real. You can read on paper what they've done, but until you see things like what took place yesterday, a big sporting event on a field that used to be a junkyard, that's all Right To Play's work."

On the second last day of the trip, Ference even scored a penalty kick game winning goal during a Sport Bonanza festival in Dar es Salaam, sending his teammates-for-the-day and hundreds of children watching from the sidelines into wild celebrations.

Montador, a defenseman with the Florida Panthers, was struck by how the impact of games and play activities on the children's spirits.

"A lot of them come for very impoverished areas and tough circumstances, but they have hope in their eyes," he said. Seeing it first hand made me a believer that Right To Play is a great organization, and that every child does have a right to play because they have a right to be happy." Andrew and Steve have set up personal webpages where hockey fans and Right To Play supporters can make donations to support their efforts. To support Andrew and Steve click here:

 Support Andrew Ference
 Support Steve Montador

There will also be a one-hour documentary on the trip, premiering on the NHL Network this September.

Our thanks go out to Steve and Andrew for being such wonderful advocates for Right To Play.

 Click here to see photos from their trip.