Randy Couture, Part Deux

Randy gives $50k worth of supplements to wounded soldiers. So not hard to see why we love this man.

RICK NASH OFF THE ICE: GOOD GUY FEELS “LUCKY TO GIVE”

A while back we posted a story on the three nominees for the 11th annual NHL Foundation Player Award, given in recognition of a player’s commitment and service to their community. Presented on June 18th at the 2009 NHL Awards in Las Vegas, Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets nabbed the honor, which came with $25,000 to be donated to the charity of his choice.

Photo: Columbus Blue Jackets/Jamie Sabau

Hugbackercaught up with the classy left winger to chat about his many off-the-ice charitable endeavors, and found the 25-year old team captain (who just signed an eight-year contract extension) to be not only a huge contributor to the community, but one who feels fortunate and honored to do so. Humility, generosity, and ridiculous talent all rolled into one…Ontario grows ‘em good!

HB: Hey Rick, congrats on the new contract, not to mention the Foundation Player Award. Growing up, were you raised in an atmosphere of volunteerism and/or community involvement, or did it come about more due to entering into professional sports?

Nash:  I didn’t really see it a lot growing up. I came from a family that scratched to get by, so I’ve seen both sides of it. I feel pretty lucky and privileged to be where I am now. I think I’ve surrounded myself with pretty good people who have helped me along the way and made me understand how important it is to give back.

HB: Instead of having your own foundation, as so many athletes do, you choose to support other organizations, at least for now.

Nash: I think I will eventually get there. Everything has been such a roller coaster. I remember coming here and signing my first contract, playing my first game, and next thing you know I’m eight years in the league and probably signing one of my last contracts. I think I will eventually definitely go down that avenue, but right now there are so many good charities and foundations to support, like the Blue Jackets Foundation, and I’m more than happy to donate to them.

Photo: bluejacketsfoundation.org

HB: Can you tell me a little about the “Rick Bands” program? [The program was developed to promote leadership and character among local youth, the proceeds from which benefited the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation for fighting pediatric cancer and promoting education and children's health and safety.]

Nash: Yeah, that was fun. It was inspired by Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG bands. We had the idea for Rick Bands and they said three different things. I think the guys got a kick out of it. My family probably loved it the most. Surprisingly, my mom actually might still wear one.

HB: You donated $100,000 to the Ohio State University Athletics Department. How did that come about?

Nash: The Buckeyes are obviously a huge part of Columbus, but before I got here I didn’t know anything about Ohio State or NCAA football because we don’t hear anything about that in Canada. So to come here and see what the university means to the community was amazing. There are a lot of student-athletes who don’t have full scholarship who want to compete here and I thought it was pretty sad for them not to be able to. For me, to give one kid a scholarship to let him or her do what they love and get a great education at the same time is the least I can do. It’s just very exciting to have someone on your scholarship and know you’re helping put them through school.

HB: Where did the inspiration come from for the #61 Club?  [Nash's #61 Club encourages elementary and middle school kids throughout Central Ohio to make good choices and develop healthy habits.]

Nash: My advisors and I thought it would be a great idea to donate tickets to kids who can’t afford or might not otherwise have the opportunity to come to a game. We thought it would be nice to have a program that also puts them up to a healthy challenge. It’s fun to see those kids at games wearing their #61 Club shirts and knowing they earned it from making 61 healthy choices. It’s just another thing I consider to be the least I can do to give back.

On the cover of NHL 2K9 video game

Photo:  2ksports.com

HB: Do you have one charitable organization that’s particularly close to your heart?

Nash: I always donate to breast cancer. My grandma suffered from breast cancer, but she is a survivor which is pretty special. That will probably always hold the closest spot to my heart. Also, it is obviously always special to donate to sick kids and children’s hospitals.

HB: How did you get involved with Santa’s Silent Helpers?

Nash: A friend who had been doing it for years brought it to my attention and I thought it was a great idea. It’s sad that kids in some areas of Columbus don’t have anything to open on Christmas morning. Growing up, my family wasn’t the wealthiest, but my parents always found a way to make sure I had a gift to open. It is special for me to be able to donate some money and make sure those Columbus kids have something to open on Christmas morning too.

HB: I hear you donated some money to help out the Quebec Pee Wee League’s Blue Jackets team with travel expenses to the annual tournament. Do you get to spend any time with them?

Nash: I was happy to help them get there and practiced with them once before the tournament. I grew up playing minor hockey and it’s tough. It’s an expensive sport. Parents working full-time also have to work to get their kids to practice and pay for equipment and travel. It feels good to help minor hockey because I saw first-hand how my parents struggled from time to time to give me that chance to play.

Photo: bluejackets.nhl.com

HB: You were one of the founding donors to the John H. McConnell Scholarship Fund. Were you close to him? [McConnell, the team's beloved owner and founder, passed away in 2008.]

Nash: We always had a special bond, but it was also obviously tough on the whole city, the organization, and every player when he passed. Donating to the fund was the least I could do to honor him as he was such a special man. It is also a good foundation for a high school student who shows the kind of leadership like Mr. Mac had. As the captain of our team, it just felt right.

HB: What do you do in your free time?

Nash: I love to golf. I have a lake house in Ontario, so my buddies and I also like to spend time up there boating, fishing, having campfires, watching movies and doing all pretty laid back stuff.

With Todd & Luke Billings of the Luke Billings Foundation for the Treatment of Cerebral Palsy

HB: What have you been doing in the off-season? Any travel?

Nash: I went on a trip to Scotland where my family is from and got to meet some family for the first time which was exciting. Also, obviously coming to Columbus to sign my contract is a highlight too.

HB: You’ve been invited to attend the Canadian Team National Orientation in August. I know you’ve done it all before, but is it still exciting knowing you’ll be back out there internationally with Team Canada again?

Nash: Anytime you get to play for your country at the highest level is exciting; especially since it’ll be in Canada, it will be fun. The first time I didn’t do too well as we placed sixth or seventh, so we’ve got a lot to prove. I hope I’ll be able to impress people, have a good start to the season and make the team.

HB: Anything new in terms of charitable events coming up on the horizon?

Nash: I have Jake’s House for children with autism back in Canada that I have been the spokesperson for for the past three years. I’ll also be involved in the Pelotonia Bike Ride for cancer research at the end of August in Columbus. Other than that, I’m looking forward to the Blue Jackets Foundation Golf Tournament which  is coming up soon as well, which is always fun and raises a lot of money.

HB: If you weren’t a professional athlete, what do you think you’d be doing?

Nash: I would probably be a police officer or a gym teacher. Both are still athletic and I think would be pretty fun.

Spreadin’ the love:  Nash has chosen the following four charities to receive donations from monies awarded from winning the NHL Foundation Player Award:  Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation, John H. McConnell Scholarship Fund, Pelotonia, and Tim Hortons Children’s Foundation.

Honoring The Great Lou Gehrig, MLB Teams Up With ALS

Major League Baseaball pays respect to one of its all-time greats this Fourth of July by helping to raise awareness for ALS, the disease that took Lou Gehrig at age 38.

Partnering with four major non-profit organizations, MLB will pay tribute to “The Iron Horse” during all games played on Saturday, July 4th. The “4♦ALS Awareness” campaign will culminate with the following words being read at the end of each game played on that day–the 70th anniversary of “Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day” at Yankee Stadium.

“For the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been in ballparks for 17 years and have never received anything but kindess and encouragement from you fans.”                       ~ Lou Gehrig, July 4, 1939

The four organizations teaming up for the campaign are The ALS Association, Project A.L.S., Augie’s Quest, and ALS TDI. 

Below is a video of the classy Gehrig giving his infamous speech to a packed Yankee Stadium in 1939.

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FROM SOCCER TO TENNIS TO RACING…ATHLETES RAISE BIGTIME AWARENESS FOR MALARIA

As the biggest single killer of children in Africa, malaria  needs as many ears and eyeballs on it as possible. And thanks to Malaria No More, an organization dedicated to eradicating the disease, exciting progress is being made in the areas of awareness, education, and funding to those in need.

A few months back we did a post on Bill Gates’ effort in this area, and now even more superstar backing has blasted onto the scene: along with a host of British athletes and celebs, footballer David Beckham and tennis star Andy Murray have pledged their support to help launch Malaria No More UK.

Says Beckham, “It’s truly incredible to think we can stop this killer disease forever and it’s such a simple thing to do. For less than the cost of a football you can protect a family from dying.”

Founded in 2006 by biz leaders Peter Chernin and Ray Chambers, the self-proclaimed “audacious” (gotta love that bold ambition) organization has educated millions of Americans about malaria and raised megabucks through various initiatives–including tens of millions through two “Idol Gives Back” specials on American Idol.

Check out this video of Beckham and Murray at Wembley Stadium for Malaria No More UK:

Another supporter of Malaria No More is Patron Highcroft Racing, through their Miles To End Malaria program. The team has pledged $10 per mile–enough to purchase one insecticide-treated mosquito net–throughout the 2009 American LeMans Series. Says team owner Duncan Dayton, “The more we learned about malaria, the more we wanted to help. Another child dies in Africa every 30 seconds from malaria, so during the 12 Hours of Sebring, that’s nearly 1,500 children. We hope by launching Miles To End Malaria and displaying the Malaria No More logo on our car, we can not only raise important funds for this cause, but also educate fans about the disease.”

Photo: Patron Highcroft Racing

Thanks to kickass efforts like these, malaria can someday have its ass kicked for good!

JAMES JONES: The Receiver Is A Giver

Giving back to children in need is often the result of imagining the obstacles and challenges they face. Green Bay Packer James Jones doesn’t have to imagine–he’s been there. Growing up in homeless shelters for most of his childhood, obstacles and challenges were a way of life. Now, with his LOVE JONES 4 KIDS FOUNDATION, Jones reaches out to kids in similar situations in his native San Jose, CA and in Green Bay, WI.

PHOTO: Getty

Speaking with James Jones, it was, frankly, hard to believe the man isn’t even 25 years old. The air of wisdom about him makes you feel you’re talking to someone who’s lived, well, a few more years. Our conversation was akin to getting a much-needed shot in the arm; one of inspiration, rejuvenation, reality, and hope…quadruple whammy! Now Jones is on a mission to share the story of his childhood struggle–and subsequent triumph–with kids, up close and personal. Serving as the basis for the Love Jones 4 Kids Foundation, his account leaves no room for doubt about the power of determination and the capacity of dreams.

Check out the video, then click below to keep reading about James and his amazing road from growing up in homeless shelters, to receiving a full athletic scholarship to San Jose State University, to achieving his unwavering goal of playing in the NFL.

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TONY DUNGY Chats With Robin Roberts About His New Book: UNCOMMON

Super Bowl-winning coach, mentor, family man, and all-around stud, the incomparable Tony Dungy chatted with Robin Roberts today on Good Morning America. Dungy’s new book:  Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance, shares with readers his thoughts on following one’s dreams by pursuing avenues that may be different from those advocated by “the crowd.”

PHOTO: Amazon.com

On the football field or anywhere else in life, “What you do is not as important as how you do it,” says Dungy.

Can’t wait to get my hands on this one, as his previous book, “Quiet Strength,” was so amazing I read it in one sofa-burrowed, rainy Sunday afternoon.

Here’s a clip of his interview this morning with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America. Enjoy!

Vijay Singh: The BIG FIJIAN Sinks Eagles for the Kids at St. Jude

The Eagles For St. Jude program has a big ambassador…in more ways than one.

In 2007, Stanford Financial Group, title sponsor of the Stanford St. Jude Championship, created a program called Eagles For St. Jude, whereby they donated $1,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for every eagle made by a player on the PGA tour, providing a season-long fundraising element to the Memphis PGA tour stop.  Ambassador of the program? Mr. Vijay Singh, a.k.a. “The Big Fijian,” who also pledged $1,000 for every eagle he personally sunk. He did so 12 times that year, but upon meeting a patient at St. Jude, upped his donation to $50,000.

Singh waits his turn at the '08 Stanford St. Jude Championship

PHOTO: Jim Weber / The Commercial Appeal

(Um, excuse us…how cool is that picture?)

Back to the facts. Fast forward to 2008, when the World Golf Hall of Famer raises the bar, pledging $5k to the program for each eagle he makes that year. He carded six. The math has him writing a check for $30,000. So what does the Big Fijian do? Adds a big fat zero to the mix, writing a personal check for $300,000 to Eagles for St. Jude, and giving a whole new perspective to the term “chipping in.”

Singh was quoted as describing St. Jude as “…the most wonderful place I’ve ever been.”

Check out this video made at the beginning of last year’s tour. Too cute of Vijay and the kids!

For the full story on the whopping $2.57million donation made to St. Jude for the Eagles For St. Jude program last month, click here.

Washington Redskin Lorenzo Alexander Motivates Kids With Message Of Education, Commitment, and “Never Give Up”

Defensive tackle Lorenzo Alexander is on a mission: To help kids in the Oakland, California area where he grew up reach their full potential. Through his ACES Foundation, the Cal grad empowers youth to achieve their goals by delivering a message heavy on education, perseverance, and accountability as the foundation for success. Read on to learn more about Alexander’s passion for getting kids to believe in themselves, and his gratitude for those who did the same for him.

PHOTO: Rosalyn Ray

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Bears’ Israel Idonije Makes Big Plays For “IZZYz KIDz”

Hugbacker had the recent thrill of getting to know defensive tackle Israel “Izzy” Idonije. His foundation provides positive, life-changing experiences for kids in economically disadvantaged communities. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Izzy’s family moved to Manitoba, Canada when he was five. A true hometown hero, he’s not only the first Manitoban to play in a Super Bowl, but to make it into the NFL. He recently helped provide Thanksgiving dinner to 1,000 people, including families from the four schools he adopted through his “IZZYz KIDz” program. Extremely active in the community, devoted to seeing kids reach their full potential, and (as the video shows), the 6′6″ bundle of fun isn’t afraid to take a few hits on the skating rink. Keep reading for our interview with Izzy.

PHOTO: Chicago Bears

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Warrick Dunn Has the Field Covered, Helping Single Parents With First-Time Home Ownership

NFL star running back Warrick Dunn of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is one of the most charitable players in the league; and his story, one of the most poignant. When he was a high school senior, Warrick’s mother, a single mom and police officer, was shot and killed while working a second job as a security guard. As the oldest of six children, Warrick was left to take care of his five siblings. Turning this tragedy into good, he created The Warrick Dunn Foundation in 1997, which has since helped over 80 single parents realize the same dream his mother had, but never achieved–to own their own home. His story can be found in his new book, Running For My Life.

Keep reading for highlights from our one-on-one interview with the very inspirational Mr. Dunn. You can also view a video from the Today Show, as Tiki Barber interviews Warrick about his story of loss, forgiveness, and honoring his mother’s memory.

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