West Des Moines families have come together to raise $4,000 in just 18 hours to send their beloved soccer coach, Aziz Haffar, to the World Cup. Haffar, who has spent 36 seasons coaching, is originally from Ghana and will get to watch his home country play.
A Surprise for a Dedicated Coach
Aziz Haffar has given back to his community for many years, and now the community is giving back to him. The idea to raise funds for Haffar’s World Cup tickets came from Matt Weih, a West Des Moines Valley soccer dad. Weih texted Haffar after seeing that Ghana was playing in the World Cup and was excited for him, but Haffar replied that he couldn’t afford the tickets.
The response from the community was overwhelming, with 50 families contributing to the fund in just 18 hours. The tickets cost $1,500 each, but the community was able to raise enough money to send Haffar and his wife to the game.
Haffar was surprised with the news at Valley Stadium, where he was met with tears of joy. He expressed his gratitude to the community, saying, ‘I don’t know what to say. It’s just, wow, the impact that you make, you just don’t know on people’s lives.’
This heartwarming story is a testament to the power of community and the impact that one person can have on others. Haffar’s dedication to his team and the community has not gone unnoticed, and it’s wonderful to see the community giving back to him in such a meaningful way.
Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.
