Kate’s Club provides a home for grief awareness and education throughout Metro Atlanta.

Since Feb. 26, 2012, millions of Americans have been outraged and rather expressive about slain Florida teen Trayvon Martin. Photos have surfaced throughout the Internet –- primarily on a myriad of Facebook profiles — of individuals wearing hoodies and proclaiming “I AM TRAYVON MARTIN.” People of all ages, races and backgrounds have marched down numerous streets; activists rallied and protested on the steps of various government offices while a stream of news headlines relating to the teen’s untimely death continue to flood the airwaves.

Tears or no tears, various communities collectively expressed their grief.

Now rewind to Jun. 2003; a then novice humanitarian — 23 year old Kate Atwood — knew that she could create a vehicle and culture that collectively advocates for, embraces and empowers young people and families that experienced a close loss to find a forum to confront, discuss and feel comfortable enough with others who share similar trauma. Armed with six supporters at a bowling alley and very little money, Kate created the self-titled Kate’s Club.

At age 12, Kate lost her mother, Audrey, to breast cancer; Kate considers the loss “the worst day of her life.” Eight years later, Kate – a counselor to 200 strangers at a Virginia bereavement camp – was still mute about her internal grief but experienced an epiphany being around the grieving youth. Even before that, she recalls losing a basketball game and crying about it, stating that it was easier to grieve in that moment. “The best service is mutually beneficial,” Kate believes. “You can really help yourself by helping others. When you make that connection, you hit the bullseye. Everybody should try to find a way to build giving and service in their lives. It’s one of the most amazing gifts to myself; so many of us walk around and search for purpose in our lives. I have the great fortune of waking up everyday and knowing that was the purpose.”

To date, over 500 Metro Atlanta youth ages five to 18 have become distinguished alumni of Kate’s vision. Kate’s Club offers fun-infested support systems and coping mechanisms: citywide field trips, Clubhouse Saturdays and Camp Good Mourning, an annual, three-day overnight activity-laden experience at Camp Twin Lakes. “We all go through life with bumps in the road and never want to endure that journey alone,” Kate says. “If we all just reach out and ask for help or reach out and offer help, the world is gonna be a better place. It’s time we pay attention to who’s around us, what’s happening to them and contribute to their lives: not just to our own.”

Kate’s Club’s West Peachtree Street office –“the Clubhouse” in the heart of Midtown Atlanta – is a pro bono safe haven and inner sanctum for anyone experiencing a devastating loss:  equipped with bright cozy furniture, stuffed animals, plush pillows and pastel walls. Bags upon crates of art supplies sit in almost every corner. Another hallway’s wall is composed of memory tiles, childrens’ handprints with captions identifying deceased loved ones. Located on the fifth floor, there is a teen lounge, a music room with a karaoke machine and a game room full of stacked board games. “As adults, it’s very easy to forget that kids don’t have the vocabulary to necessarily speak the words on what they’re feeling,” Kate says. “They are much better able to channel that through art and activity; kids navigate life that way. It’s a little less intimidating, and it’s more on their level. That’s the genesis of their community in their own space, own time and certainly in their own way.”

Outside of the staff’s offices and cubicles sit multiple wall frames of artwork, news articles, group photos and a smooth yet comfy gray chair. “I took the worst days of my life and created some of the best days of my life,” Kate says. “I turned it upside on its head, and I gave that to help others who are struggling with that same challenge.” The “living room” pays homage to Kate’s mother. As a matter of fact, each room is named in memory of a loss loved one. This particular Tues., Mar. 20, 2012 morning, Kate’s Club staff is running around getting in gear for the organization’s seventh Dinner of Champions at the Fox Theatre’s Egyptian Ballroom, Kate’s favorite time of the year.

Kate says via her phone interview five hours post-Clubhouse tour that facility is her spirit. Now what better way to show the effectiveness of Kate’s Club than to have an awesome staff of experienced supporters – especially since Kate has advanced to Executive Director duties for the Arby’s Foundation? Cynthia Daniel, Program Director, believes grief should be defined very broadly: referring to those incarcerated, deported or even a pet that died. Daniel — a chaplain of 17 years who lost her father at age two – has visited over 52 Gwinnett County classes (third through fifth grade) with a total of 1,500 students as part of a grief reach grant program between New York Life, the National Alliance for Grieving Children (NAGC) and KC Connects, an outreach program under Kate’s Club that stresses the importance of grief education in various settings. As her primary teaching tool, Daniel uses a kindness tree – drawn on poster board with leaves, in the form of hands, for youth to write about something or someone they wish they could see more often. She was instrumental in getting “Grief Awareness Day” signed into the state of Georgia after a successful march in front of the State Capital. She will go on to lead a discussion in June before NAGC to lobby for “National Grief Awareness Day.”

“It’s not healthy to grieve being silent,” Daniel says. “Human beings have a tremendous capacity to care about each other. Empowering adults is part of empowering children. Some teachers have their own grief that they haven’t dealt with; the teachers are also listening and participating in that conversation. We can talk about this stuff more openly and probably be a healthier society. We can heal from this.” So far so good considering the reception from the school system – both kids and teachers — is at an all-time high; Daniel adds that humanity, empathy and kindness education are all woven into the lesson. “When we’re all together, it’s a different picture. Stories can be told in other ways than words. We get through that sadness by coming together and supporting one another: knowing that we’re not alone even if we feel lonely. When we have losses, we either become more bitter or more compassionate. We can miss someone if we haven’t met them or if we don’t remember them. We still know they’re not there.”

Emily Hawkins, Executive Director, says she’s never experienced loss as a child but is compelled by getting in touch with mortality. Coming into the organization with a strong background in nonprofit management and fundraising, interacting with the kids has helped to strengthen her own morale and involvement. “It’s a real interesting journey to see these kids and how incredible they bravely face something that scares us all. The stories are sad, but they’re uplifting. The support the kids give each other is really where the change happens. It’s magical to see them connect in a way that they are not able to in their own families.”

At the Dinner of Champions, hosted underneath somber blue lighting by The Bert Show’s Bert Weiss, Kate’s Club raised an amazing $56K to assist in funding programs and initiatives for future participants. The organization handed out a few honors to those whose work and advocacy runs parallel lines with their mission: Grace Hensel (Child Champion); Todd Owens (Volunteer Champion); New York Life (Corporate Champion); LeighAnn Costley, CPA and Katie Long, Esq. (Community Champions). The Spirit of Kate’s Club honoree, former Between the Lines-turned-Conversations radio host Valerie Jackson,  was deemed by Kate to have “continued to live a full life through the faith of her grief.” The wife of the late Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, she remains a strong community advocate: interviewing a variety of public intellectuals and allowing them to share inspirational stories via radio, holding an active hand in philanthropy – finding The Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation and serving on the board of The Alliance For A New Humanity — and causes relating to economically disadvantaged youth. Sharing her own bouts with grief,Jackson doesn’t fail to empower the audience during her acceptance speech: drawing on a metaphor of a cocoon and a butterfly to convey her message.

“Death is a part of life. Grief is a constant companion. Lean into the pain. Learn how to accept the gift of sympathy. Once we realize that, we live forever.”

Kate’s Club relies on generous donations from various individuals, foundations and corporate partners along with around 100 active volunteers. The organization notes that over 40,000 children in Metro Atlanta will become affected by death; the entire organization body knows that they have their work cut out for them but believes that civic engagement begins with the individual, too. “We still have so much work to do,” Kate says. “The biggest gift I’ve been given in the past nine years is to understand that when your life is about something bigger than yourself, it is the best way to live. I have the biggest family in my backyard. We all know someone who is grieving. If you can just take one minute, think of all the people who has lost somebody, give them a call or send them an e-mail. Just let them know you’re thinking about them; that’s the most powerful tool we all have…that we can all do.”

For more information on Kate’s Club, log onto www.katesclub.org, add Kate’s Club on Facebook or follow @KatesClub on Twitter.

Words: Christopher Daniel

Photos: JSG Photography (Dinner of Champions); Kate’s Club

his year, over 13 million American kids will be bullied, making it the most common form of violence young people in the U.S. experience. Directed by Sundance- and Emmy-award winning filmmaker, Lee Hirsch, Bully is a beautifully cinematic, character-driven documentary—at its heart are those with the most at stake and whose stories each represent a different facet of this bullying crisis.

Following five kids and families over the course of a school year, the film confronts bullying’s most tragic outcomes, including the stories of two families who’ve lost children to suicide and a mother who waits to learn the fate of her 14 –year-old daughter, incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. With rare access to the Sioux City Community School District, the film also gives an intimate glimpse into school busses, classrooms, cafeterias and even principles offices, offering insight into the often-cruel world of children, as teachers, administrators and parents struggle to find answers.

While the stories examine the dire consequences of bullying, they also give testimony to the courage and strength of the victims of bullying and seek to inspire real changes in the way we deal with bullying as parents, teachers, children, and in society as a whole. Through the power of these stories, Bully aims to be a catalyst for change and to turn the tide on an epidemic of violence that has touched every community in the United States—and far beyond.

Opening 3/30:

1.NY: The Angelika

2.LA: The Landmark

Opening 4/13:

3.Chicago: AMC RiverEast

4.Philadelphia: Landmark Ritz at the Bourse 5

5. San Francisco : AMC Metreon

6.Boston: Landmark Kendall Square

7. Seattle: AMC Pacific Place

8. Minneapolis: Landmark Lagoon

Bring BULLY to your City – Visit http://www.thebullyproject.com

Atlanta’s famed humanitarian continues to give of himself.

Sunday, Dec. 11 – D. Jack Sawyer, Jr. wears a good spirit as well as a black tie. It’s the busiest time of year in Atlanta’s Wilmington Trust Terminus 100 offices, and he’s booked solid with weekend meetings. The firm’s high-profile Southeast Region President admits it’s overwhelming at the moment; looking to also hire new talent and knows that requires a great deal of hands-on time. Still, it’s precisely 1:00 in the afternoon, and he expresses his gratitude quite a bit for me wanting to interview him.

Sawyer loves his work but gets really tongue-tied anytime he’s forced to talk about himself. “I’m focused on doing the best job I can do as I’ve always done,” he states. “I’m living proof that you don’t have to have star power to make a difference on somebody’s life. You don’t have to be in a position to make large financial gifts to make a difference on somebody’s life. You don’t have to go to an Ivy League school to make a difference in somebody else’s life.”

Just three days earlier at an American Jewish Committee (AJC) Atlanta dinner at the St. Regis Hotel, Atlanta’s most civically engaged and well-respected wealth management expert for 32 years is presented with the 2011 National Human Relations Award. He jokes about demanding that AJC’s annual reports be placed at each table but encourages the guests to believe they’re the most influential and philanthropic people the city births. The accolade, much like Sawyer’s personality, embodies an individual whose efforts advance respect and understanding of all people and diverse groups. “I am in complete awe of being in your presence,” he believes. “I’m grateful to be in this room. All of us tonight are people of privilege. You’re a person of power, and you’re a person of responsibility. You all set examples of philanthropy.”

It’s during his acceptance speech the self-proclaimed “Baptist boy from Albany, GA who loves Hanukkah, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur” refers back to his childhood Jewish best friend and growing up with former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell around his home. He credits their overlapping senses of family and community – along with his parents’ belief in a strong work ethic — for molding him into the man he’s become. “We grew up in homes with unconditional love at its core, and that was our commonality. The greatest gifts our parents gave us were a set of values that they live and didn’t just lecture about: a strong belief in God, understanding the simple difference between right and wrong and self-respect. Don’t take anything for granted.”

Sawyer turns down AJC Atlanta’s honor several times before finally accepting it. “I felt like it was way too early. I felt like I was surrounded by people that deserved it more than me. I felt like there’s so much more to be done. None of us ever do enough.” He praises Mayor Kasim Reed at the podium for representing Atlanta well and offering to always lend his support to host fundraisers for good causes: joking about having a serious Rolodex of supporters. “They wouldn’t dare say no to me. I got clout I didn’t even know I had.”

The night following his Human Relations Award honor, Sawyer and I bump into one another at another gala benefiting the Captain Planet Foundation at the Georgia Aquarium. Never one to forget a face, Sawyer’s face immediately illuminates as he shakes my hand. He makes it a priority to note over the phone that he was immediately impressed with my politeness that Friday evening since he was already engaging in another conversation. Even more flattered to interview with me, Sawyer gives me his very last business card out of his sleek blue dinner jacket: asking if I had a good time at any of the events where we cross paths. “I’m a very good judge of people,” he tells me.

Sawyer — a University of Georgia alumnus and Juris Doctor holder from Mercer University — founded The Arden Group, Atlanta’s first private fiduciary firm. The company was acquired by Bank of New York Mellon in 2003, and from there, Sawyer became the Regional President of BNY Mellon’s Private Wealth Management Division. Now at Wilmington Trust – one of the nation’s largest personal trust providers — since 2009, Sawyer is noted for providing outstanding tax strategies and investment management advice for high net worth families, individuals, trusts, estates, endowments and foundations. In a press release announcing the executive role, Mark A. Graham, Wilmington Trust’s Executive Vice President, lists Sawyer as “a pre-eminent wealth advisor.”

A born leader and the epitome of selflessness, Sawyer has no problem giving credit where it’s due: consistently referring to his staff as the finest comprehensive wealth management team he’s ever worked with. “The most important thing I’ve ever done in business is hire good people and let them do what they do best. They’re the people working with the clients everyday, so I gotta have the best people I can find. You just can’t lose sight. Everybody deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.  It’s all about making the world the best place you can.”

Now ask Sawyer what is he most passion about, and he will tell you nonprofits, foundations and social services. He’s Atlanta’s well-rounded board of director, champion for the arts and a crusader for diversity. “The clients typically attracted to working with me are very philanthropic anyway,” he states. “There are just so many crossover commonalities.” He raves about serving at the High Museum of Art for many years as a three-time Chairman (Honorary Chairman in 2011) of the David C. Driskell Prize, named in honor of the pivotal African American artist which discovers and honors emerging African American art. He’s extremely proud of the High Museum being the only mainstream space in the U.S. that has a program set aside to solely recognize African American art.  A lover of animals, he’s active with the Atlanta Humane Society: acknowledging the local chapter’s new seven-acre campus, adopting out over 1,200 animals monthly and preventing animals from euthanasia, abandonment or fighting for their lives. “It energizes me to make a difference and to be able to see just the difference an organization makes on the lives of some creature – whether it’s human, canine or feline or whatever.”

The consummate humanitarian is also involved with Zoo Atlanta, the Southeast Anti-Defamation League, Friends of Georgia Music, the Georgia Museum of Art, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding, Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Foundation, Savannah College of Art and Design, Open Hand Atlanta, the Shepherd Center Auxiliary, the Woodruff Arts Center’s Foundations Committee, the Atlanta History Center’s Civil War to Civil Rights Steering Committee, the President’s Council, the Swan House Ball, the Alliance Theatre, the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre’s Advisory Circle, the Devyne Intervention Foundation, Meals on Wheels, Atlanta Community Foundation’s Estate Planning Advisory, Atlanta Opera’s Opera Ball, Veneralia for the Michael C. Carlos Museum, A Timeless Affair for Fernbank Science Center and A Meal to Remember for Senior Citizens Services.

Sawyer has it all — a good life, great friends, supportive family, endless opportunities and a job he enjoys, but he definitely knows how he wants to spend the remaining chapters of his life story. “When I don’t have a real job, I would love to be involved even more with foundations,” he says. “There’s so much in any walk of life that any of us can do. You gotta reach down if you’re gonna live your life successfully.”

Words: Christopher A. Daniel

LeBron James joins 200 youth in a spontaneous “chalk clap” to dedicate a new athletic field at the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida – Walt Disney World Clubhouse.

James, The LeBron James Family Foundation and Sprite donated the revamped facility, along with sporting equipment such as bats, basketballs and soccer nets, to mark the announcement of The Sprite Uncontainable Game at the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida on February 25, 2012 in Orlando, Florida.

Photos: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Sprite

 

The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America – Georgia Chapter – continues to blaze trails.

The Georgia Chapter of Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) hosted its 22^nd Annual Torch Gala on Sat., Jan. 28, 2012 at the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta.

 The evening celebrated the organization’s “unmistakable voice” – as one speaker noted — in raising funds and awareness for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD): the single most heavily misdiagnosed genetic diseases.

The mighty spectacular evening – hosted under the Windsor Ballroom’s subtle lighting — included a lavish three-course dinner, a successful silent auction, dancing and entertainment provided by High Cotton Orchestra. Amidst blue and purple hues, Jay and Ann Davis – along with their son, Richard – were this year’s recipients of the Citizen of the the Year honors. Upon receiving a diagnosis in 1999 that Richard was one of the 1.4 million individuals in the U.S. affected by the painful, irremediable  affliction, the Davises have since made it mandatory to dedicate themselves to enhancing the $5.1 million ($150 million nationally) raised for research and advocacy programs such as Camp Oasis. The Davises were even the first donors for a landmark microbiome initiative. “There’s nothing worse than having a sick child when you have no idea what the problem is,” Jay says. “CCFA is not just about fundraisers; it’s a support system for sufferers and families.” CCFA agrees.

“When the community has a need, they turn to [Ann and Jay],” Steve Goodman, past president-turned-Event Co-Chair, says. “They’re an incredible family. They’re absolutely incredible supporters of many causes, many organizations, and many foundations. We’re very fortunate to have their support of our cause. They saw a need and responded immediately.”

PGA all-star Heath Slocum – a CCFA Ambassador – was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in Nov. 1997 and like most people had never heard of the disease. Missing a year-and-a-half of golfing and later downsizing from 150 to 122 lbs., Slocum immediately made donations of over $40,000 to various charities: $10,000 to CCFA. “I’m thrilled to help,” he tells the audience.

CCFA – founded in 1967 courtesy of Irwin & Suzanne Rosenthal; William & Shelby Modell and Henry Janowitz, M.D., is 40 chapters strong with over 50,000 active members. The autoimmune disorder is a seldom discussed digestive disease. “The biggest problem or issue the foundation had was it’s not a disease that people wanted to talk about,” Goodman says. “There was nowhere to go. It was like throwing mud against the wall to see what would stick. Two years ago, you never heard the word ‘cure’ uttered out of any of the researchers across the globe.”

Goodman, now a National Board Trustee in his third year, is not personally affected by the diseases but prides himself on being an advocate (specifically for marginal causes). Serving actively for a decade with CCFA, the 2011 Volunteer Leadership Award recipient believes seeing the progress over the years has been the most rewarding experience. “We got to be an ear to those people with a story to tell that wants to share their plight. A cure is not that far in the distance. At the end of the night, we’ll make a difference funding a few more research projects otherwise might not get funded.”

Goodman adds that great support, great researchers and incredible advancements in technology have been key but believes there’s an easier solution. “Understand a little more about the disease. Help itical research that can really help make a difference in putting an end to this disease.”

Photos: Steven Dewberry

The AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation program, Connections for Cardiovascular Health, held a press conference on Tuesday morning to award a grant of more than $157,698 to the Center for Black Women’s Wellness (CBWW) in Atlanta to create the Healthy Women 4 Healthy Families program.

 Healthy Women 4 Healthy Families strives to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and its associated risks among underserved, low-income African-American women who have borderline high levels of cholesterol, have a family history of early heart disease, or who are overweight or obese. The program increases their access to innovative and culturally effective interventions related to nutrition, weight and stress management, thereby improving health outcomes. 

Bobby Tillman graduated from Chapel Hill High School in May, 2010.  However, Bobby was much more than a student; he was a friend to everyone, a helper in any situation, a supporter of all, and a loving child of God. 

Bobby loved his life and his education.  On November 7, 2010, Bobby’s life was cut short due to a senseless act of violence, yet, his spirit and drive still lives in us. 

Exactly four months later on March 10, 2011 I was honored to meet Bobby’s mother Monique Rivarde and aunt Zulema Green, Esq. at an Urban Lux Magazine anti-bullying event.

They came in support even during their time of grief and this was an introduction I would never forget. A very strong spirited woman, I could tell Ms. Rivarde was determined to bring change to an epidemic that has plagued our communities for many years and she begain her movement for change just a few days after Bobby’s death.   

Since he is not here to experience the success of an education, Bobby’s family, through BFAM, Inc., has promised to help other youth that have the determination and passion to further their education.

On Monday, February 20, 2012 from 2pm – 5pm, BFAM, Inc. will hold a Bobby Tillman Scholarship fundraiser at the “Your Bowling Center” in Douglasville, located at 3931 Longview Drive, Douglasville, GA.  The tickets for the fundraiser are $20.00 and this amount includes unlimited bowling, bowling shoes, a slice of pizza, a beverage and popcorn.  All ages are welcome to come and enjoy this event!  It will be a way to have a wonderful time, get to know the community and celebrate life in a safe and positive way.

The proceeds from this event will go towards the Bobby Tillman Scholarship Fund and should you wish to donate instead of attending the event, BFAM, Inc. has a Tax ID#.

Bobby’s story made national headlines but there are many girls and boys who suffer the brunt of bullying in silence. Please visit www.bfaminc.com, for more information about the Scholarship fund and opportunities to volunteer and donate.

words:  LENTHEUS CHANEY

photo of Monique Rivarde & Zulema Green, Esq: AVERI WASHINGTON 

Saturday, January 28th, was a night for a select group of Atlanta style-makers and industry movers and shakers. This intimate gathering was for the Access Granted Signature Series: The Bold Visionaries of 2012 awards ceremony that recognized and celebrated rising industry icons in Art, Style, Design, Media, Philanthropy, and Luxury.

This event was the brainchild of Darcy Harris of the VIP Room Design Studios for the Luxury Signature Series. She, along with honoree SIMCOlifestyle were the hosts that evening.

Aptly titled The Bold Visionaries, the timing for these awards is crucial. Accordingly, the six honorees were a collective mix of people chosen by Darcy, only because this was the first ceremony that will become an annual or semi-annual event:

 MEDIA:                                          Lentheus Chaney – Urban Lux Magazine

Team Draft, a campaign to raise awareness to lung cancer prevention and research, was created by former NFL linebacker Chris Draft and the late Keasha Rutledge Draft.

They are also the co-founders of the Chris Draft Family Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering families through education and healthy living. Draft started his collegiate football career at Stanford University and entered into the NFL upon graduating. Draft has played for the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, St. Louis Rams, Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins during the span of his 13-year professional career,

Chris’ wife Keasha passed away on December 27, 2011, only one year after being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, and just thirty days after the two were married in Atlanta, Georgia. In her honor, her husband will direct Team Draft’s nation-wide effort to Tackle Cancer so that Keasha’s valiant fight to live, smile, and dance will give hope and comfort to people across the world. The Team Draft’s “Changing the Face of Lung Cancer” campaign will raise awareness of lung cancer by shattering misperceptions and raising much-needed funds for continued research and innovation in targeted therapies for personalized treatment in the honor of Keasha and the thousands of people and their families affected by this disease. “

A healthy, active and energetic woman, dancer, who received her electrical engineering degree from Clemson University, Keasha never smoked. Sadly, what happened to Keasha could happen to anyone and the numbers prove 16,000 – 24,000 people die each year from non-smoking lung cancer.”We are committed to changing the face of lung cancer by shattering stereotypes,” says Draft. “I, along with Team Draft am carrying on our mission. Keasha wanted to inspire people to embrace each day and by remembering to dance, smile and live.”

An undergraduate scholarship at Clemson has been established in celebration of Keasha’s beautiful life and determined spirit. The Keasha Rutledge Draft Memorial scholarship serves to provide an opportunity for Clemson students to further their studies in pursuit of their dreams. Chris Draft will share his wife’s valiant fight by moving forward with an initiative launched at the couple’s wedding by responding with Team Draft. The campaign strives to raise research funds, supporting Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center offers the latest innovations in lung cancer detection and therapy, including routine genetic testing of tumors as part of the diagnosis procedure and clinical trials of new drugs and treatment.

Many of Draft’s NFL colleagues have also rallied around him in support, asking how they can get involved with Team Draft and the initiative is quickly gaining national attention. ESPN will air coverage of Draft speaking about the campaign during the Sunday February 5, 2012 XLV Superbowl at 11:40 a.m. EST to rally the nation to take action by logging on to: www.teamdraft.org and donating. All proceeds will go towards lung cancer research, awareness and prevention.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE3T1QlcyS4

5 Facts About Lung Cancer

1. Anyone can get lung cancer

2. Nearly 50-60% of lung cancers are diagnosed in either never-
smokers or former smokers.

3. Lung cancer surpassed Breast cancer as the number #1 cancer
killer of women in 1987

4. A 5 year survival rate is only 15% — the same as it was 40 years
ago. Although survivals for early stage lung cancers have
improved in recent years, there is no cure for stage 4 lung
cancer, which is by far the most common stage at the time of
diagnosis.

5. Lung Cancer kills more people than breast, prostate,
colon, liver, kidney and melanoma cancer……combined

Get Involved! Take action by logging on to: www.teamdraft.org and donating. All proceeds will go towards lung cancer research, awareness and prevention.

For more than three decades, the phrase “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste” has become part of our cultural lexicon.  Each year, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) directly impacts the future of young African American students throughout the country.

Now in its thirty-third year, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars showcase continues to highlight the best and brightest scholarship recipients and raise critical funds to keep dreams alive.  

On January 29, 2012 on BET Network, stars like the legendary Patti LaBelle, Grammy award-winning singers Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, along with Marsha Ambrosius, Ledisi, Musiq Soulchild, Miguel and others will pay tribute to with electrifying performances and stirring personal stories.

“This year’s UNCF AN EVENING OF STARS® is filled with high energy performances, combining the hottest talent with inspirational stories of young students who are beating the odds because they can receive a good education,” said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., UNCF president and CEO.  “We are grateful for the support of all our celebrities, sponsors and contributors, who understand the importance of ‘Educating our Future’ and giving students the opportunity to earn college degrees that will enable them to lead successful and fulfilling lives.”

For more information, please visit http://www.uncf.org/ and www.bet.com/uncf. Also, follow UNCF on Twitter: @UNCF (#EveningOfStars).