Sports Doing Good Newsletter, #18

July 23 – July 29

Welcome to week eighteen of the Sports Doing Good newsletter.

One of the beautiful things about sport is the sustainability of the impact of our actions. We play on teams together not only for the immediate satisfaction of victory, but also because we want to share positive experiences, ones that last in our memory and our very being. Often referred to as one’s legacy, sports have a special place in our hearts and minds because of it. It sticks with us. It gives us relationships that can last a lifetime and strengthens our physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

This week the idea of legacy and impact was at the forefront and in the background of many of the stories we feature. David Beckham gave several fans the surprise of a lifetime during an adidas promotion; Ryan Bailey reconsidered what his legacy was going to be and turned his life around to become an Olympian; Christie Rampone exemplifies the balanced athlete who makes equally valuable contributions on and off the field; a fundraiser for Jack Jablonski brought together more than 30 NHL players committed to turning around a dire situation for Jack and others into ones with hope for a full life; the NFL has launched a program that focuses more attention on the long-term health of its most valuable asset (the players); Major League Soccer took a stand for equality; and multiple organizations were honored at the Beyond Sport Summit for their important work around the world. In so many ways, these players, individuals, and organizations are delivering goodness to so many others.

We also feature two stories looking at the most significant events on the global sports calendar, i.e. the Summer Olympic Games (2012) and the World Cup (2014). These and similar events are planned with legacies in mind for athletes, communities, facilities, cities and countries. We want the good from these events to be sustained and plan carefully to make that a reality.

A quick reminder about two administrative matters. In addition to our Sports Doing Good heading, we are now including some photos/images in each newsletter. Please make sure to allow images from Sports Doing Good to be seen by your email system. (you should see a button or link allowing you to view the images). Also, in addition to email stories, please feel free to send stories via Twitter. Our address is @sportsdoinggood.

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So enjoy. And have a good week..

Fun Doing Good:

Jill Krementz covers Niki de Saint Phalle on Park
July 12th-November 15th, 2012; Park Avenue from 52nd Street to 60th Streets in New York City
Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002) was a prominent French-American artist, self-taught sculptor, painter, and filmmaker. Born in Neuilly Sur Seine, Saint Phalle died at the age of 71 in La Jolla, California. Now, to mark the ten-year commemoration of the artist’s death, there are nine monumental pieces on display at the Park Avenue Malls from 52nd Street to 60th Street. The sculptures, towering as high as 16 feet and as wide as 13 feet, are made of polyester resin, with mosaics of ceramic, mirror, and stained glass. http://www.nysocialdiary.com/node/1908249

David Beckham pops up at the #takethestage photobooth
The surprise of a lifetime was unveiled at Westfield Stratford City as adidas brought astonished shoppers face to face with global icon David Beckham. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=g0OzSpzYe6I

Kate Middleton shows off footballing skills at sport charity event with Prince William
The Duchess of Cambridge was with her husband Prince William at the launch of a new charity project aiming to unleash the next generation of sports coaches…Speaking at the launch of the Coach Core project at Bacons College in Southwark, Prince William also paid tribute to the importance of sport…”It builds confidence, engenders mutual respect and responsibility, and teaches us about the value of team work,” he said. http://www.xperedon.com/news_1537

Athletes Doing Good

Rampone’s brilliant balancing act; The U.S. women’s captain thrives on family and team leadership
As Christie Rampone picked up the phone, it was clear that she was being pulled in a million different directions. Her departure for the London Olympics with her teammates on the U.S. women’s national team was just a few days away. There was packing to be done and media commitments to attend to, and oh by the way, she had promised her daughters Rylie, 6, and Reece, 2, that she would take them to the beach. http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/story/_/id/8184266/olympics-rampone-work-life-balance-makes-perfect-team-captain-jeff-carlisle

Ryan Bailey took a long road to thrive in track and field’s shortest race
Only six or seven years ago, Bailey was living out of a car with his mom, making friends with gang members and skipping more classes than he attended. Now the 23-year-old Oregon native has drastically altered his life, qualified for his first Olympics and emerged as one of the future stars of USA Track and Field in the 100 meters. http://tinyurl.com/cb8so2s

Professional Soccer Player and Olympic Gold Medalist Shannon Boxx Scores New Goal As Lupus Awareness Advocate
The summer issue of Lupus Now® magazine, published by the LFA, highlights how Boxx has maintained her successful career as a professional soccer player while living with lupus. Diagnosed in 2007, Boxx talks about her decision to speak openly about living with lupus, a very complex and life-altering disease. The article also profiles other inspirational individuals, including a nuclear physicist, a sports reporter, and a high school teacher, who discuss how they cope with lupus symptoms while thriving in their careers. http://news.yahoo.com/professional-soccer-player-olympic-gold-medalist-shannon-boxx-150100766.html

Lisa Modglin successfully juggles softball, accounting
In the months when she isn’t playing professional softball as a center fielder for the Racers, Modglin is a senior accountant with Caliber Accounting and Tax, a public California firm that does consulting, tax planning and tax returns for businesses. She is under no illusions about which of the two jobs is her career, but she is willing and even eager to put off the fast track in one so she can savor a window of opportunity that closes quickly in the other. http://espn.go.com/espnw/more-sports/8204852/espnw-akron-racers-lisa-modglin-juggles-softball-accounting

Events Doing Good:

International Inspiration is London 2012’s international legacy programme
London 2012’s International legacy programme promised to leave a lasting legacy around the world, enriching lives and engaging millions of youth. Debbie Lye discusses the social impact and lessons learned. http://www.sportanddev.org/en/newsnviews/news/?4474/1/International-Inspiration-the-London-2012-Olympics-International-legacy-programme

Transplant patients from Texas Children’s Hospital to compete at Transplant Games of America
The Renal Service and the Heart Center from Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston will send three kidney transplant recipients and two heart transplant recipients to the Games to participate as part of Team Texas during the four-day, biannual Olympic-style event that celebrates patient athletes who have received a life-saving organ transplantation. Nearly 1,200 athletes from 48 states are expected to attend the National Transplant Games of America. http://www.sacbee.com/2012/07/26/4662207/transplant-patients-from-texas.html#storylink=cpy

Jablonski fundraiser draws 30+ NHL players to Xcel Energy Center
More than seven months after he was paralyzed in a high school hockey game, Jack Jablonski is continuing to make progress as he prepares for a sold-out fundraiser in a huge venue. Ticket sales for the gala alone raised $120,000 for Jablonski and others with spinal cord injuries. http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/19125975/jablonski-fundraiser-to-draw-800-30-nhl-players-to-xcel-energy-center#ixzz21tOXYb10

Green Sports Alliance Summit (September 5-7, 2012, early bird registration ends Aug. 3, 2012)
The Green Sports Alliance Summit is a three day executive summit designed for leaders from the sports community. The summit uses a mix of stories, case studies, lectures, panels, breakout groups, and site visits to introduce the participants to a range of thinking and best practices around sustainability that produce bottom line benefits while demonstrating responsible corporate and community citizenship. http://www.greensportssummit.org/

Ernst & Young Looks At The Social And Economic Impact Of The 2014 World Cup On Brazil
The 2014 World Cup will likely have a strong social and economic impact on its host country Brazil. How can the country ensure the impact is positive and long lasting? To download the complete report, please click here. http://emergingmarkets.ey.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/11/Sustainable_Brazil__Social_and_Economic_Impacts_of_the_2014_World_Cup1.pdf

Leagues Doing Good

 ‘NFL Total Wellness’ program launched to improve player health
Commissioner Roger Goodell communicated in a letter to more than 11,000 current and former players that their health and wellness is paramount. To that end, the league is launching a “comprehensive” program called “NFL Total Wellness” to serve those goals. With an assist from former Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher and NFL executives Robert Gulliver and Troy Vincent, the goal is to help foster positive health-related decisions and promote a system of support when it comes to behavioral and mental health issues. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82ad2ab4/article/nfl-total-wellness-program-launched-to-improve-player-health

NASCAR feted for social change
NASCAR was recognized for its efforts in social change at the Beyond Sport’s annual summit on Wednesday. NASCAR chairman Brian France was part of a panel discussion in London on “Mobilizing Millions,” which highlighted the sports’ efforts in green, diversity and charitable giving. http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/story/_/id/8198595/nascar-ceo-brian-france-cited-social-change-campaign

NASCAR Foundation to give donation to Speediatrics unit
The NASCAR Foundation will present a check for $150,000 to Halifax Health Medical Center’s Speediatrics children’s unit today, increasing the group’s total contributions to more than $1 million since the partnership was established in 2006…The NASCAR Foundation’s donations have helped fund the construction of a newly remodeled NASCAR-themed 32-bed pediatric unit, a pediatric emergency department and a five-bed pediatric intensive-care unit. More than 2,000 children are treated each year in the unit, including 300 who receive care in the pediatric intensive-care unit. http://www.news-journalonline.com/business/local-business/2012/07/25/nascar-foundation-to-give-donation.html

Local firms star in MLB’s pitch for diversity
League brings job, vendor fair to Chicago, where some minority-owned companies have already found a spot in the lineup…At the summit, hiring and procurement heads for the 30 MLB clubs and 10 minor league teams will meet with job seekers and vendors at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, while Commissioner Bud Selig and team owners will speak on panels. Organizers expect up to 1,000 people to attend. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-07-24/business/ct-biz-0724-mlb-diversity-20120724_1_minority-workers-vendor-suppliers

Media Doing Good:

Sport4dev.tv launches as new video service
We are pleased to announce the launch of sport4dev.tv, a new video website for the Sport for Development sector. The site uses advanced search technology to pull Sport for Development videos from hundreds of websites and channels into one central location enabling people to search by sport, development theme, location or organisation, or just check out the latest videos. For a look around the site check out our Welcome Video. http://sport4dev.tv/

Organizations Doing Good:

Winners unveiled at Beyond Sport Awards
National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise the Memphis Grizzlies picked up the global award for Sport Team of the Year and the Australian Rugby League Commission was named Governing Body of the Year at the Beyond Sport Awards 2012 in London on Wednesday. http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/185987/winners-unveiled-at-beyond-sport-awards

Major League Soccer will not renew partnership with Boy Scouts of America following 2012 season
Earlier in the week, the Boy Scouts of America announced that following a two-year review, it would continue its long-standing policy of excluding gays. MLS did not specify if the ruling affected its decision to end the partnership, but it should be noted the league has supported anti-discriminatory causes like You Can Play, an organization dedicated to ending homophobia in sports. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/major-league-soccer-not-renew-204000549–mls.html

American Cancer Society Becomes Official Charity of Inaugural BTN Big 10K
BTN and the American Cancer Society today announced that the Society will be the official charity and beneficiary of the BTN Big 10K. The sold-out event is Saturday, July 28, in downtown Chicago. The American Cancer Society will host a tent at the post-race FanFest & Tailgate party and provide information on future Society events, offering cancer prevention tips, and discussing their DetermiNation team, the Society’s “nation of athletes” determined to end cancer. www.BTNBig10K.com

KIA to focus on social outreach, sports
KIA Motors Jamaica is moving to establish a corporate social responsibility programme which they say will focus mainly on social outreach and sports. The company says the programme is in keeping with their desire to contribute in a meaningful way to the country. “The truth of the matter is that there is a need for more companies to establish and maintain programmes such as this. We have been doing a few things here and there, but we decided to make it less sporadic and more focused. We have decided to roll out this programme and will be focusing on social outreach and sports development,” said Ian Lyn, vice president of sales for KIA. http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/KIA-to-focus-on-social-outreach–sports#ixzz21yPDaMyE

Engaging coaches and athletes in fostering gender equity: summary report
ICRW along with Futures Without Violence partnered with the Mumbai Schools Sports Association and the non-governmental organization Apnalaya to implement Parivartan in the formal school system and the slum community of Shivaji Nagar, respectively. This report describes the three-year program and summarizes key findings from the evaluation conducted by ICRW. http://www.sportanddev.org/en/connect/userprofile.cfm?4702/Engaging-Coaches-and-Athletes-in-Fostering-Gender-Equity-Summary-Report

People Doing Good:

New Orleans Saints former safety Steve Gleason still living an adventurous life
“To have a statue of you up 100 years from now at the Superdome, I think that’s amazing,” said Gleason, a special teams standout for the Saints from 2000 to 2007. “But I don’t want this to be about me and that play. I want it to be about what that play symbolized, which was a commitment by this community to rebuild. This statue is about coming through adversity. It’s about finding your heroes. It’s about commitment and a rebirth for all.” http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2012/07/new_orleans_saints_former_safe.html

Teams Doing Good

New York Red Bulls to Include Fans’ Names in Jersey Numbers
Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls are inviting season-ticket holders on the field for their exhibition game against Tottenham Hotspur of England’s Premier League. While the fans won’t actually be in uniform for the July 31 game at Red Bull arena in Harrison, New Jersey, their names will. The names of more than 600 season-ticket holders will be included in the fabric of the numbers on the back of the jerseys worn by Red Bulls players, including forward Thierry Henry. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-26/new-york-red-bulls-to-include-fans-names-in-jersey-numbers.html

Quick Links…Our WebsiteMore About Us
Our goal is to have Sports Doing Good be a portal housing original content and excerpts from and links to the increasing number of articles, websites, video, and other media that showcase the good in sports and society. We aim to celebrate those concepts, activities, events, and individuals by highlighting them for a wider audience. Much of the news today, whether sports- related or not, is incredibly negative and increasingly polarizing, biased, and quite annoying. We are trying to refocus some of the discussion on the good, with a focus on sports.

Our mission is to have Sport Doing Good be a consistent, and significant, contributor to the areas of sports, social responsibility and development. We look forwarding to partnering with other stakeholders in producing content, in creating and/or sponsoring athletic and service events, knowledge sharing, and conferences/seminars, and even having a commercial arm that could be the source of innovative social businesses.

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Contact Information~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sarbjit “Sab” Singh
sab@sportsdoinggood.com
516-287-7141