By Fred J. Robledo Staff Writer
LA VERNE — George Sipa is one of the San Gabriel Valley’s well-known soccer trainers, spending most of his time with FC Barcelona and the La Verne Lazers soccer clubs.
The Cameroon-born coach who grew up in France and recently became an American Citizen also runs several soccer clinics a year, and wants to invite kids of all ages to his shooting clinic tonight from 6-8 p.m., at Bonita High School, where all money raised from donations will go the Red Cross for Haiti Relief fund. This was originally scheduled last week, but postponed until tonight because of the storms.(To continue, click thread)

Sipa did the same thing in 2004, raising money for the Red Cross after an earthquake in the Indian Ocean created a tsunami that struck Sri Lanka’s coast and left more than 40,000 dead.
After watching television reports following last week’s earthquake in Haiti where thousands are feared dead and many of the survivors injured or displaced, Sipa acted promptly again.
Sipa is asking for a $20/donation for each child that practices.
“You can’t watch television or read the news without your heart going out to those people,” Sipa said. “You feel so helpless watching from so far away, and you ask, what can I do?
“The soccer community is so big and has done so much for me that I felt why not do this again. We’re lucky that we live here and can go on with our lives, play soccer and go back to our families and homes.
“But you watch the news and realize how devastating it is for others around the world, especially in Haiti right now, they need our help.”
Sipa said the clinic is for kids of all ages, and for those without kids or wish not to participate, a donation box will be at the field.
“Let’s make it a big event,” Sipa said. “Give anything you want, it all adds up and makes a difference.”