MAYOR YOUNG AND DENZEL WASHINGTON HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE IN SUPPORT OF THE SAVE OUR SPORTS PROGRAM

August 26, 2008;

Mount Vernon, NY—Oscar Winning Actor Denzel Washington joined Mount Vernon Mayor Clinton I. Young, Jr. at City Hall to support the Save Our Sports initiative. A press conference was held Tuesday, August 26 ^th at Mount Vernon City Hall to draw attention to the need to preserve school sports programs. Earlier this month, Mr. Washington donated $100,000 of his own money to SOS.

“Denzel Washington has a long history in the City of Mount Vernon. When I brought the plight of our students to his attention, Denzel immediately wanted to help. The $100,000 he donated to SOS was a catalyst for additional resources that lead to the restoration of fall sports. The City of Mount Vernon is extremely grateful to Denzel Washington for his incessant dedication to our young people.” 

During the news conference, Mayor Young and Mr. Washington were joined by members of the Mount Vernon City Council, the Mount Vernon Educational Foundation and the Board of Education. The defeat of the Mount Vernon school budget forced the district into an austerity spending plan. As a result, interscholastic sports program were eliminated for the 2008-09 school year. Mayor Young immediately called upon Denzel Washington, Chicago Bulls star Ben Gordon and others Mount Vernon notables to come together in support of the sports program. The Mayor Young’s SOS program was instrumental in funding to restore fall sports this year, however, additional funds are needed secure winter and spring sports programs. 

“Our children are our most important resource, and like any other resource, they need to be taken seriously and handled with care,” said Denzel Washington. “They deserve all of the tools necessary to succeed in life…sports is one of these tools.  There is no greater success that our generation can lay claim to than to be able to say that we didn’t let our young people down.”& amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; lt; /p>

Last month, Mayor Young announced a main fundraising initiative within Save Our Sports that will call upon 5,000 individuals to give $100 to save our athletics program in Mount Vernon.   All contributions are 100% tax deductible.  Checks can be made out to: “Mount Vernon Educational Foundation, Inc.” with a Memo: “Sports” or “Save Our Sports” and sent to:

Ms. Ronnie Cox, President

Mount Vernon Educational Foundation

P.O. Box 476

Fleetwood Station

Mount Vernon , NY 10552

For more information regarding the SOS initiative, call Rasul Salahuddin at (914) 665-2420.