Seven-Year-Old Forfeits Birthday Presents to be a 'Good Sport'

The following was taken from a press release submitted by Good Sports.

For his seventh birthday party, Medfield second-grader Matthias wanted to do something a little different.  When planning his party with his mother, Lisa, Matthias realized he didn’t need presents from all of his friends and he would rather celebrate his big day by making someone else’s day a little better.

Matthias loves playing all types of sports -- lacrosse, basketball, baseball, just to name a few -- so when his mother told him about kids who are not able to play because they can’t afford equipment, he was eager to use his birthday to help them out.  

Instead of asking for presents, Matthias asked his guests to make a donation to Good Sports, a national non-profit that donates sports equipment and apparel to disadvantaged youth.

He raised $300 for the organization. 

Matthias’s efforts will give more kids the chance to play the sports he loves. Every $20 donation helps Good Sports get one more kid in the game.

"I'm happy me and my friends helped kids so now they can play sports,” said Matthias. 

His mother loves the fact that her son used his special day to give back and noted that all the guests were incredibly supportive of Matthias and Good Sports. 

Does your child have a celebration that they would like to dedicate to charity?  Learn more about Good Sports and how to “Party Like a Good Sport” like Matthias at www.goodsports.org.

About Good Sports

Good Sports helps lay the foundation for healthy, active lifestyles by providing athletic equipment, footwear and apparel to disadvantaged young people nationwide. By partnering with sporting goods manufacturers, Good Sports gets crucial equipment to kids who need it most, getting them in the game. Since 2003, Good Sports has provided more than $9 million worth of equipment to 1,150 youth programs, impacting more than 700,000 kids. For more information, visit www.goodsports.org