The Amarone Charitable Trust was established in 2014 with the aim to find solutions and provide assistance for needs that weren’t being met in the global community, with a specific focus on Barbados---

Athletics Initiative

Projects / Athletics Initiative

Within this pillar we have looked to fill a need, which has been to provide funding for athletes that will provide them access to additional training, access to high level coaches, and the implementation of a program that otherwise could not be undertaken. The trust has developed our program in Barbados and is participating in three other projects within this pillar, which are as follows:

The Excel in Sports

The goal is to develop athletes that will represent Barbados with distinction at international competitions, particularly the World Commonwealth and Olympic Games. This program was designed to assist promising athletes in Barbados in the improvement of their performances through additional, specialized training, counseling, and other means. The goal of this program is to provide support for those young athletes who have demonstrated the potential to qualify for and perform well at international events, including the Commonwealth and Olympic Games. The Trust is providing financial assistance to fund additional specialized training to athletes, two of whom participated in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

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This program is directed towards supporting individual athletes in disciplines such as, but not limited to track and field racquet sports, boxing and swimming.

The track and field program is collaboration between the trust and Surfside Wellness here in Barbados. The trust, in conjunction with Surfside, established a personal strength and conditioning program, including initial testing, nutritional supplementation, sports medicine and physiotherapy. The program is advertised as a scholarship to local athletes, who then submit applications and are selected to participate in the program. Presently we are supporting three athletes’ participation in this program.

The swimming program involved the sponsorship of one of Barbados top female swimmers, who qualified for and competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics. Having finished her university training in the USA she expressed a desire to continue her training with a view to continuing to compete and improve her results at international competitions culminating with the 2020 Olympics. As is often the case, elite athletes do not have the financial support to live reasonably while continuing their training regime. The trust has provided monetary support to assist with the costs of dry land training, attendance at international competitions and a small living allowance.

In addition to the Excel in Sports Program the trust is participating in two further projects:

In addition to the Excel in Sports Program the trust is participating in two further projects:

 

VK Basketball

The trust has provided sponsorship in the form of monetary support for this program.

VK Basketball, a Vancouver-based club program for youth players founded by entrepreneur Anthony Beyrouti, himself a longtime local high school coach, is a program that has gone against the tide of many other clubs in the province of British Columbia by offering all of its services free of charge. To that end, VK Basketball has followed the framework of a number of US based club basketball programs that do not charge for their membership, yet are able to pay for top coaching and tournament travel by securing sponsors.

The value of great coaching, however, has never been under-valued.

“I’ve coached for years and never got paid and it seems like this is reverse,” said Langford, who continues to coach the senior girls varsity team at Port Coquitlam’s Riverside Secondary. “The coaches are getting paid, but the players don’t have to pay.”

Langford and former CIS player Jenna Ralston both coach age-group teams and run VK Basketball’s day-to-day operations, and they have brought together an enviable group of coaches including Langford’s brother Bruce, the head coach of the Simon Fraser women’s team.

Others include Langley Christian girls coach Danielle Gardner, Quest University women’s coach Dany Charlery, Alex Rucker of the Toronto Raptors, SFU assistant Jessica Wallace and former B.C. boys high school basketball president Chris Kennedy.

British Columbia Women’s Elite Rugby 7s

The trust has provided and has committed to provide monetary support for this program.

The BC Elite Girl’s Sevens (BCEG7s) program is designed to help develop young athletes into the rugby players who will be best qualified to represent Canada with distinction at future Olympic Games and on the World Rugby 7s circuit.

The age groups targeted, from a technical development perspective, are girls aged 14 to 18. The program is geared towards identifying, training and developing athletes who can go on to represent their Regions, their Province and Canada at Age Grade Level and beyond.

Recent Projects

Discover the heart of our recent projects in Barbados, where our NGO is making a profound impact across three vital pillars: Athletics, Children, and Disaster Relief. Through dynamic athletic initiatives, we're fostering teamwork and growth. Our dedication to children's welfare encompasses education and healthcare, nurturing the leaders of tomorrow. Moreover, our disaster relief efforts bring hope and healing when it's needed most. Join us in transforming lives and building a brighter future for Barbados and beyond.

Fight ‘N’ Fit Boxing

Fight N Fit proposes to launch an After-School Boxing Program. It is our belief that a program of this kind will provide an outlet to engage and advocate for increased physical activity in the youth,

The Schoolhouse

The Schoolhouse for Special Needs Inc. (The Schoolhouse) was first established in 2006 with a modest group of students operating from the residence of its Founder, Yasmin Vlahakis.

children in need

During 2016 the trust approached UNICEF in Switzerland to collaborate on implementing an initiative to assist children in need, be it Syria, Yemen or in other places such as Nepal, which is still suffering from the earthquakes of 2015.