Wilton Bulletin
ABC airs Kick for Nick video during Easter's evening broadcast

Mar 25, 2008

Tom Thresher, former coach of Nick Madaras, organizes the remaining deflated balls to be boxed and shipped to Iraq. Approximately 400 balls were collected in the recent drive. %u2014Scott Mullin photo

Pfc. Nicholas Madaras chases after a ball during a game when he was a student at Wilton High School. %u2014J.B. Cozens photo

The ESPN documentary video chronicling Wilton's Kick for Nick campaign got added air time Sunday night as ABC aired a shortened version of the video on its evening news program World News Tonight with Charles Gibson.

Click here to view the video aired by ABC.

Ken Dartley, who created the soccer ball collection drive, said the ESPN airing had lead to a significant interest in the program, and many hundreds of donations of soccer balls to the program. The ABC airing is expected to have much the same impact.

The links below provide past Bulletin coverage of the program:

• Outpouring of support follows ESPN broadcast
• ESPN to air segment on fallen soldier
• Shalini Madaras hosting benefit for homeless veterans
• Bill Madaras leading charge to send packages to troops
• ESPN films in Wilton for Kick for Nick segment
• Plaque honoiring Pfc. Madaras dedicated at Middlebrook School
• Storage Deluxe collecting supplies for U.S soldiers
• Soccer association dedicates Nicholas Madaras Field
• Kick for Nick sending 450 balls to Iraq

A U.S. Army soldier hands out soccer balls from the Kick for Nick drive to Iraqi girls in the village or Koresh. %u2014U.S. Army photo

Each ball is signed with Pfc. Nicholas Madaras' name and sent to troops in Iraq to hand out to children.

Click here for more information on Kick for Nick campaign.


© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers