John William Dadouris

The role sports plays in our society is vital. Though it is mostly viewed as entertainment or a form of exercise, sports is often used as a tool to better one’s character as well as strengthen their academic performance. When comparing attendance records, graduation rates and test scores, it’s not a coincidence that athletes are proven to perform better than those non-athletes.

Dadouris with Kaitlyn Sleyster at their fourth equipment collection.

Will Dadouris has not only noticed the correlation of sports and academic success, but he has embraced it. As a junior goal keeper on the Gill St. Bernard’s High School lacrosse team, William knows a thing or two about balancing his on-field and in-the-classroom activities. 

In 2012, hoping to grow the game of Lacrosse while attempting to improve academic performance, William started ReLax Collections. ReLax Collections is a non-profit company aimed at collecting and distributing lacrosse equipment to individuals, organizations and schools, both locally and abroad. By establishing and strengthening these lacrosse programs, William knows that the end result isn’t just production on the field, but production in the classroom as well.

“Sports, especially lacrosse, have allowed me to unwind and have fun with my friends,” said William. “As a team, we help each other achieve academic excellence, athletic achievement, and social responsibility. I started ReLax because I believe everyone should be a part of a true team that supports one another.”

William’s selflessness coupled with his joy for the game of lacrosse has taken his non-profit efforts to new heights. Today, ReLax Collections is responsible for collecting and donating over $28,000 of lacrosse equipment, and servicing student athletes as far as Jamaica, Colombia and Uganda.

Whether it’s used to build character, or simply as a tool to keep students in school, sports has proven to be essential in bettering and growing our society.

Jamie Schanbaum

On November 13, 2008, Jamie Schanbaum, then 20 years old and enjoying the life of a typical college student, was feeling ill. Her symptoms were similar to those of the common flu but within hours she was admitted to a hospital in Austin, TX. Two days later, doctors explained that her lack of feeling in her extremities and discolored limbs were the result of meningococcal disease, a rare but serious disease. Up to 1 in 10 people die from meningitis in 24 hours. Up to 1 in 5  will survive but with lifelong consequences; in Jamie’s case, all her fingers and both legs below the knee had to be amputated.

Schanbaum participated in a cycling and rowing challenge in Philadelphia on World Meningitis Day.

During Jamie’s seven-month recovery in the hospital, she went from wondering “why me?” to wondering “why anybody?”  She has made it her life’s work to spread the word about meningitis and educate young adults and parents about the disease. Jamie’s passion for sports and determination to go on after meningitis, led her to become a paralympian cyclist.  Jamie won a gold medal in the 2011 US Paralympic cycling games.

Jamie started The J.A.M.I.E. Group to advocate for meningitis awareness in her home state of Texas and around the country.  In the summer of 2009, The Texas Legislature passed Texas Senate Bill 819, or The Jamie Schanbaum Act, requiring meningococcal (A, C, W, Y) vaccination of in-state college students, the despite two previous unsuccessful attempts.  Now more than 350,000 students in Texas each year are receiving the vaccine against serogroups A, C, W and Y. Since late 2014, vaccines have become available to protect against serogroup B. 

Jamie is now working to raise awareness of the two vaccines that together protect against the five most common serogroups of meningitis. In 2016 she started working as a GSK spokesperson to educate parents and young adults about the risks of meningitis and she is traveling around the country talking to media, students and parents about meningitis.

According to a recent poll, less than half of young adults (49%) know that meningitis can lead to serious health complications and 88% of parents who vaccinated their children against meningitis don’t know which serogroups of bacteria their child is vaccinated against. Jamie’s message is simple: Please get educated. Young adults need to speak to their parents and doctors.

Andrea Stern Ferris

After her mother died of lung cancer in 2008, Andrea Ferris and her family decided to make a generous gift to support research on this devastating disease. But the organizations they found were either young and not very large, or established nonprofits that didn’t specifically focus on lung cancer research.

They decided to start their own nonprofit, Protect Your Lungs. “We encountered some amazing researchers who took a leap of faith with us,” says Ferris, 48. “Together, we figured out what was missing in terms of the science arena and where our $5-$10 million could be most impactful.”

The disease, America’s number one cancer killer, remains mysterious and is not as closely connected to smoking as one might think. “About 85 percent of smokers don’t get lung cancer,” Ferris points out. “That means there’s something to discover in the 15 percent who do, so that became a focus of our research.” Additionally, 60 percent of Americans diagnosed with lung cancer have either never smoked a cigarette in their lives or have quit smoking.

By June of 2010, Protect Your Lungs was ready to grow and Ferris led a merger with LUNGevity Foundation, which was founded in 2001 by seven Chicago-area lung cancer survivors. Its grassroots activism made for a perfect marriage with the research interests of Protect Your Lungs, says Ferris. Now, as one larger organization, LUNGevity oversees a packed schedule of about 80 events and fundraisers each year, including 45 Breathe Deep walks and runs nationwide. LUNGevity also maintains a comprehensive web presence that brings together patients, caregivers and survivors, while continuing Protect Your Lungs’ strong commitment to research.

The research efforts are three-pronged, according to Ferris. The first is early detection and disease intervention aimed at finding ways to non-invasively diagnose malignant nodules. The second is therapeutics, like targeted therapy and immunotherapy and the unveiling of drug combinations that might offer the increased efficacy that AIDS ‘cocktails’ have. Third is career development, with the organization providing funding to scientists in an effort to keep the field of lung cancer research vibrant with new ideas.

“It’s a really exciting time in lung cancer research right now,” says Ferris. “There were six new drugs approved last year. That’s amazing, and we’re proud to be a part of this ongoing research.”

To bring together patients and the possibilities that go into working toward a cure, LUNGevity also offers an online clinical trial finder. “A lot of people living with lung cancer survive by moving from trial to trial,” says Ferris, “and our tracker allows the user to identify what’s out there. It empowers the patient with information and encourages them to present that information to their doctors.” A new support service, Clinical Trial Ambassadors, brings together those who have participated in clinical trials and those considering the option. It mirrors the organization’s existing Lifeline phone buddy system, which matches people according to their age, disease stage and other factors.

Once a year, all of LUNGevity’s efforts intersect at a three-day HOPE Summit. This conference by and for those living with the disease started six years ago, with just 15 attendees. This year, 175 survivors will attend with their caregivers.

“When I go to the summit and see people doing well and I learn how they’ve benefited from the services we provide, it’s incredibly rewarding,” says Ferris. “I got involved in this fight because I was looking to make a difference after my mom died, and that includes not just fostering research but encouraging patient education and empowerment. I want to make sure that others don’t have the negative experiences that we did.”

For those looking to echo her commitment, there are many ways to get involved. Ferris suggests joining a Breathe Deep event in your area, learning about the disease and getting the message out there that there’s hope. For more information, visit lungevity.org.

John May

True heroes are those risking their own safety for the sake of others. Knowing that you can possibly lose your life while attempting to save another is a threat John May faces quite often. If you’re uncertain of what a hero may look or act like, look no further than May and his team of volunteers.

May conducting a search and rescue training.

Born and raised in Campton, Kentucky, May routinely sacrifices his own safety in hope of bettering his hometown. Helping lead the Wolfe County Search and Rescue Team, May and his crew of about 40 volunteers provide emergency relief to the Wolfe County community. With over 70 miles of rugged trail located in the Daniel Boone Forest, the Red River Gorge serves as the town’s main tourist attraction. Though the scenery may be aesthetically pleasing, the threat of danger is very real.

“Tourist often get lost on trails, and unfortunately at times they fall off the cliffs,” said May. “Last year we had four fatalities.”

While his day job consist of managing administrative services at a local electric company, his volunteer work consist of saving lives. Trained in technical rope and swift water rescue, May uses his skill set to conduct 40 or more rescue missions a year.

May’s dedication was evident when he broke his ankle during a rescue of a man who was lost for 11 days. While his ankle served as the sacrifice, it is a price he is willing to pay when it to comes to saving lives.

“It’s rewarding when you can find someone and get them back to their family. That’s what it is all about,” said May.

Whether it’s his specific skill set for rescue, or his bravery to act in the face of danger, May’s willingness to give back is making his community a better place.

Margot Griswold

The mission of the Los Angeles Audubon Society (LAAS)  is to promote the enjoyment and protection of birds and other wildlife through environmental education, conservation and habitat restoration. An important strategic goal is to provide after-school environmental education targeting under-served youth and their communities in the urban core of greater LA.

Griswold, left, at the LAAS Cactus Commencement.

Since joining LAAS Margot Griswold has served at-risk youth, first as a volunteer project manager for LA Audubon and now as volunteer VP and Education Chair.

Griswold oversees LAAS’ environmental education programs that reach more than 5,000 students each year, supplementing under-served schools with much needed environmental/science studies and a connection to nature. In Los Angeles Unified Schools, 80 percent of the students live in circumstances, with little access to nature. In addition to her work with LAAS, she has also created a Teacher Fellowship program.

Under Griswold’s direction, LAAS’ youth education programs have grown from serving 100 students in 2008 to more than 5,000 students in 2015, with eight programs serving grades 3-12. The Los Angeles Times profiled LAAS’ efforts with Politi School, where a schoolyard habitat replaced an under-utilized schoolyard with native plants attracting birds and insects.  The schoolyard now serves as an outdoor lab and has improved student test scores six-fold. Another similar habitat is planned for Esperanza School.

Griswold’s focus involves at risk students who are paid interns in the program that mentor younger students in environmental stewardship. Creating a work force in the fields of natural resource management, environmental science, urban planning, and environmental education that reflects a true diversity of communities will be key to keeping these fields relevant, innovative, and effective.

Griswold has devoted herself to serving Los Angeles inner-city youth, predominantly Hispanic, African-American, and Asian, and works tirelessly in the field to work one-on-one with students pursuing environmental studies. Graduating seniors from LAAS’ Greenhouse internship have a 100 percent college acceptance rate. Through Griswold’s leadership and dedication, LAAS has high expectations for student performance, exposure to new career paths, and experience with science and technology.

Griswold believes that urban-core communities are a key component to achieving long-term conservation nationwide.

Mallory Brown

Millennials don’t give to charity by writing a check. In fact, more than a fifth of all millennials have never written a physical check to pay a bill, according to global payment technology solutions company First Data.  

Mallory Brown gets it. The 29-year-old founder of World Clothes Line, a buy-one-give-one clothing company run on a global philanthropic model, considers herself a flash fundraiser. Through a partnership with Crowdrise, the number one fundraising website for personal causes and charity, Brown raised more than $100,000 in 2015 for seven different charitable projects, from relocating a displaced family to a new house in Haiti to raising money for Nepal earthquake relief to creating a home for CommuniD BBQ, a weekly meal for the homeless run by Elevate Detroit.

Her campaigns typically last 24 hours, a day where, through video, donors meet Mallory, see where she is and what the needs are, and then have the satisfaction of seeing their $5, $20 or $50 put to work to solve the problem.

“Millenials want to feel connected – they don’t want a lot of red tape in between them and the good they are trying to do,” said the Farmington Hills, Michigan native.

Although she always considered herself a compassionate person, it wasn’t until her wanderlust sent her backpacking in Southeast Asia nine years ago that her commitment kicked in. “That was the first time I saw true poverty,” she recalled.  “And that changed my outlook on life. I wanted to make a difference to the people I met.” That led to her founding her company in 2010, but she still wanted to do more.

“So often I’d be traveling and I’d think – if I was rich, I could solve so many problems that I see in front of me.” That led to her first effort on Crowdrise, a 24-hour campaign that raised $10,954 for a Haitan family. “I’d hoped to raise $5000,” she said. “It was just amazing.”

Brown relies on corporate sponsorships to get her on the ground and in the middle of whatever the particular cause or crisis is. Then using high quality video in real time, she makes her case, shows the viewer exactly what she sees and why funds are needed.

“I guess what I do is catchy and people pay attention,” she said. “Being able to see results right away – to see the people you are helping, makes all the different. It’s a different twist on the traditional form of charity,” she said. So successful are her efforts that Brown is now sharing her methodology with others, including big organizations that are intent on reaching the millennial giver. “This is a very engaging way to raise money,” she said. “All of what we raise is used for the cause – there are zero administrative costs. That matters to young people. I think it’s a good model for the future.”