All Stars Helping Kids Announces World Class Field of Star Athletes Nominated For Jefferson Award For Public Service
Steve Nash (NBA), Venus Williams (WTA), Ray Lewis (NFL), Kerri Walsh (AVP), and More Compete for Prestigious Community Service Award
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Ronnie Lott, NFL Hall of Famer and founder of All Stars Helping Kids, is pleased to announce a landmark partnership with the Jefferson Awards for Public Service to recognize top athletes who have given back to their community. Past recipients of Jefferson Awards for Public Service include, Oprah Winfrey, Colin Powell, Lance Armstrong and Bill and Melinda Gates.
Over the last few months, teams and leagues from across the sports world nominated 53 athletes who have a proven track record of community outreach as well as those that are just getting started, but possess a sincere passion for service. Thanks to AT&T, fans can vote for their favorite nominee by text message or online by going to allstarshelpingkids.org/teammates/index.html. Voting ends November 15th. The nominees include soccer star Mia Hamm, the New Jersey Nets’ Devin Harris, the Baltimore Ravens Ray Lewis, the Phoenix Suns Steve Nash, Olympian and AVP star Kerri Walsh, and tennis star Venus Williams amongst others. The full list of nominees appears below.
“One thing these nominees have in common is a passion for looking beyond their sport. They’re stretching themselves- driven to succeed in their community as well as in competition,” Lott said. “I encourage people to read about these men and women and follow their examples.”
From this group, five (5) finalists will be chosen in each of two (2) categories: Outstanding Athlete in Service and Outstanding Athlete as a Newcomer in Service. One athlete in each category will be awarded a national Jefferson Award for Public Service.
On December 8, 2009, ten (10) athletes will win spots on the “Dream Team for Public Service” at the All Stars Helping Kids’ Sports, Business & Philanthropy Luncheon. In June 2010, the ten (10) “Dream Team” members will be invited to attend the Jefferson Awards National Ceremony in Washington, D.C., where two (2) winners will receive the prestigious Jefferson Awards for Public Service in the categories of Outstanding Athlete in Service and Outstanding Athlete as a Newcomer in Service. Additionally, the nominee with the most online and text votes will be the winner of the AT&T Fan Favorite Award.
Jefferson Award for Outstanding Service by an Athlete
Nominees
(To vote for a nominee, text STAR code to the right to 55333. Standard text messaging rates apply.)
Baseball
Jeremy Affeldt (San Francisco Giants) STAR1
Dallas Braden (Oakland Athletics) STAR5
Billy Butler (Kansas City Royals) STAR7
Curtis Granderson (Detroit Tigers) STAR13
Cole Hamels (Philadelphia Phillies) STAR52
Joel Hanrahan (Washington Nationals) STAR16
Aaron Harang (Cincinnati Reds) STAR17
Magglio Ordonez (Detroit Tigers) STAR30
Brandon Phillips (Cincinnati Reds) STAR31
Mark Teahen (Kansas City Royals) STAR38
Jim Thome (Los Angeles Dodgers) STAR40
Brandon Webb (Arizona Diamondbacks) STAR43
CJ Wilson (Texas Rangers) STAR46
Michael Young (Texas Rangers) STAR48
Ryan Zimmerman (Washington Nationals) STAR49
Basketball
Baron Davis (Los Angeles Clippers) STAR9
Lindsey Harding (Washington Mystics) STAR18
Devin Harris (New Jersey Nets) STAR19
Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic) STAR50
Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns) STAR27
Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks) STAR28
Greg Oden (Portland Trail Blazers) STAR29
Jason Richardson (Phoenix Suns) STAR33
Jalen Rose STAR34
Brandon Roy (Portland Trail Blazers) STAR35
Tyrus Thomas (Chicago Bulls) STAR39
Figure Skating
Kristi Yamaguchi STAR47
Football
Nnamdi Asomugha (Oakland Raiders) STAR2
Oshiomogho "OJ" Atogwe (St. Louis Rams) STAR3
Isaac Bruce (San Francisco 49ers) STAR6
Chris Draft (St. Louis Rams) STAR10
Domonique Foxworth (Baltimore Ravens) STAR12
Todd Heap (Baltimore Ravens) STAR20
Israel Idonije (Chicago Bears) STAR21
Ray Lewis (Baltimore Ravens) STAR24
R.W. McQuarters, Jr. STAR25
Tutankhamen "Tutan" Reyes STAR32
Joe Staley (San Francisco 49ers) STAR37
Justin Tuck (New York Giants) STAR41
Hockey
Angela Ruggiero STAR36
Soccer
Brandi Chastain (FC Gold Pride) STAR8
Dwayne De Rosario (Toronto FC) STAR53
Mia Hamm STAR15
Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo) STAR54
Softball
Jessica Mendoza STAR26
Tennis
Ana Ivanovic STAR22
Jelena Jankovic STAR23
Venus Williams STAR45
Track & Field
Cheri Blauwet STAR4
Lauren Fleshman STAR11
Ryan & Sara Hall STAR14
Lauryn Williams STAR44
Volleyball
Kerri Walsh STAR42
About All Stars Helping Kids
Since 1989, All Stars Helping Kids has been a galvanizing force and vehicle for individuals and corporate partners to invest in the future of children in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. All Stars Helping Kids’ mission is to promote a safe, healthy, rigorous learning environment for disadvantaged children in low-income communities.
About the Jefferson Awards for Public Service
The Jefferson Awards for Public Service is a prestigious national recognition system honoring community and public service in America. The Jefferson Awards were established in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, U.S. Senator Robert Taft, Jr. and Sam Beard to establish a Nobel Prize for public service. Today, their primary purpose is to serve as a “Call to Action for Volunteers” in local communities.
SOURCE All Stars Helping Kids