On the heels of the World Cup, area migrant workers and community members will come together this weekend for a soccer tournament.
The North Lambton Community Health Centre (NLCHC) will host the fourth annual Migrant Worker Project Soccer Tournament on Sunday, August 23, in Arkona.
Eight teams from Lambton County and one from Chatham-Kent will participate in the free community event.
"It's really important that we host this event in our community to highlight all the wonderful things the workers bring to our community," said NLCHC Team Lead Bel Jamieson. "We have countries represented from Jamaica, Mexico, Thailand, Philippines. We have workers from all over Colombia, Honduras, and Guatemala. We even have farmers joining and playing alongside the workers."
The event will be held at the Taxandria Soccer Fields from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Jamieson anticipates the final match will begin at 5 p.m.
More than 300 migrant workers, farmers, volunteers, and community partners are expected to attend.
Jamieson said all are welcome to watch and cheer on the competitors.
While Jamieson said it's a rewarding day for their team, it's also one that migrant workers appreciate and look forward to.
"For example, last year, one of the workers said, 'I went back and I told my boss that next year, I won't go to the tournament without my team backing me,' and the boss actually cleared a field for them to practice for the upcoming year, which was fabulous!"
Local dignitaries are expected to attend, such as Lambton Shores Mayor Doug Cook and Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Steve Pinsonneault, as well as a representative from the Consulate of Mexico.
"We will also have a number of our project partners coming to be available to answer questions and let the workers and community members know about the programs and services that they're able to access," Jamieson said.
The event is made possible through support of the TeaMWork Project, funded by the Government of Canada and Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers.
