More students/youth are set to benefit from the Sandals Foundation’s Game Changer Programme this summer as the initiative forges another valuable partnership. Canadian based company, PTX Performance Products Inc. , who is a leader in design, development, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of branded action sports equipment for mass retailers worldwide, has donated over 11,000 pairs of their innovative Stable 26 basketball socks valued at USD $311,000 to boost the Game Changer Programme.

The Game Changer Programme which is active in the islands of Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Barbados and Turks & Caicos focuses on engaging youth through their love for sports with the aim of impacting positive change. The Programme has supported and introduced basketball, soccer and most recently American football to youth within the Caribbean islands through partnerships with sports celebrities and professionals such as Dwyane Wade, NBA All-Star; Dwayne De Rosario (DeRo), Canadian footballer, and Darrelle Revis, NFL cornerback. In addition to participants having the opportunity to learn the sport from professionals, the Programme ties mentorships and inculcating some most needed life skills such as etiquette and public speaking.

The most recent donation of the ‘Stable 26 basketball socks’ to the programme will enable our youth to be equipped with the gear worn by the basketball pros. The socks feature medial and lateal silicone pads to eliminate negative space around the heel resulting in a better fit, better comfort, and better performance. The innovative technology locks the heel in place, enhancing the connection between the player’s foot and footwear thus optimizing the body’s stability. These socks provide multi-direction stability and targeted cushioning to optimize court performance.

Adam Landen, account manager of PTX Performance Products Inc., commented on the support for the Sandals Foundation’s initiative, noting that it is a perfect and natural progression to the company’s mission. “I am very excited about forging a relationship with Sandals Foundation. PTX is thrilled that we could make a difference in the lives of youth across the Caribbean with the contribution of our Stable26 athletic socks. It gives us great pleasure to know that our product will help these young athletes feel more comfortable in their footwear.”

Heidi Clarke, director of programmes at Sandals Foundation expressed her own thanks to the newest Game Changer partners. “We are now into our third anniversary for our Game Changer Programme. We have been heartened by the successes of the initiative and the growing international support. This has increased our ability to engage our youth in schools and the wider community through an avenue that they love and are excited about. We have watched our children develop holistically in ways we had only hoped for at the start and we can only attribute these achievements to the support from companies such as PTX Performance Products. Partnerships are always necessary and allow you to double the impact that you could achieve alone.”

About The Sandals Foundation The Sandals Foundation is the non-profit arm of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), the Caribbean’s leading family-owned resort company. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was created to continue and to expand upon the charitable work that Sandals Resorts International has undertaken since its founding in 1981 to play a meaningful role in the lives of the communities where SRI operates throughout the Caribbean. The Sandals Foundation funds projects in three core areas: education, community and the environment. One hundred percent of the monies contributed by the general public to the Sandals Foundation go directly to programs benefiting the Caribbean community. To learn more about the Sandals Foundation, visit online at http://www.sandalsfoundation.org.