CHICAGO - Chicago Fire midfielder Alexandre Boucicaut will join the Haitian National Team for a benefit match against the 1994 World Cup Champions from Brazil as part of an international soccer doubleheader on Saturday, Nov. 13 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, FL. The doubleheader kicks off at 6:00 p.m. ET with the Haiti-Brazil contest and will continue at 8:30 p.m. with a CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying match between Mexico and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Organizers for the Miami doubleheader have announced that five dollars from each ticket sold will be donated to UNICEF for the charity's continuing efforts to help Haiti recover from the devastation caused by Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne in September. Tickets for the exciting night of soccer in South Florida will range from $40 for reserve seats to $25 for general admission seats ($30 day of game).
The 22-year-old Boucicaut has already amassed eight goals for the Haitian National Team in eight matches since making his debut with the senior squad in 2002. Boucicaut will be returning to the spot of perhaps the biggest goal in his young career, as his tally in the 69th minute against the U.S. National Team on Mar. 13 at the Orange Bowl nearly gave Haiti a stunning victory in a match that ended 1-1. After signing with the Fire on Aug. 16 of this year, the speedy midfielder played in five matches, including one start, in his rookie MLS campaign. The budding talent is considered to be a hero in Haiti, as he is only the third soccer player from the Caribbean country to break into the ranks of Major League Soccer.
Boucicaut continues to raise awareness of the conditions in his native country, as the midfielder has teamed up with Illinois Youth Soccer to form the Boucicaut Hurricane Relief Fund, which will be collecting soccer equipment and monetary donations to rebuild the Caribbean nation's youth soccer programs and provide relief to the island's beleaguered residents. Boucicaut will be traveling back to Haiti in December and will personally distribute the collected goods to youth soccer programs and the national youth soccer academy, while monetary donations will go to general relief efforts through non-profit organizations. Addresses to send both soccer equipment and monetary donations can be found below. The deadline for the receipt of all donations has been set for Wednesday, Dec. 1.
New and gently used equipment can be shipped to:
Boucicaut Hurricane Relief Fund
c/o Illinois Youth Soccer
939 Industrial Drive
Bensenville, IL 60106
Monetary donations can be sent to:
Boucicaut Hurricane Relief Fund
c/o Illinois Youth Soccer
1655 S. Arlington Heights Rd.
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Checks can be made to Illinois Youth Soccer with "Boucicaut Hurricane Relief Fund" in the memo line.
