Courtesy of Chicago Sky Media Relations
CHICAGO – Former LSU All-American and WNBA Chicago Sky center Sylvia Fowles has been nominated to be a member of the Dream Team for Public Service and is in the running for the Jefferson Award for Public Service in the category of Outstanding Athlete as a Newcomer in Service & Community.
Fowles, a recipient of the July 2010 WNBA Cares Community Assist Award, offered her support to Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE) during this past season in an effort to assist with finding a cure to Epilepsy which is a disease her nephew suffers from. Through Sylvia’s involvement with CURE, the Sky partnered with them to host a fundraising event at a Sky game where Fowles hosted several meet-and-greets with young epilepsy patients before and after a Sky home game.
Winning the WNBA Cares Assist Award provided Fowles with $5000 to donate to CURE, the charity of her choice. Throughout the 2010 season Fowles also helped distribute food at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, spent time with residents at the 79th Street Senior Center and participated in the Chicago Sky All Star Reading Program at a local library.
“It is a great honor to be nominated for such a prestigious award,” Fowles said. “Community service and helping people in need is something I believe in and using my platform as an athlete gives me a chance to reach even more people. Working with the people at CURE has been a great experience and I’m excited to continue working with them.”
All Stars Helping Kids and the Jefferson Awards for Public Service recognize 10 professional athletes each year who display excellence in service and philanthropy. Including Fowles, professional athletes from across the country have been nominated for these distinctions. In January, 10 athletes will win spots on the Dream Team for Public Service.
Then in June two winners will receive the prestigious Jefferson Awards for Public Service. Dream Team members will be determined by a public online and text vote. To vote for Fowles online go to http://www.allstarshelpingkids.org/teammates/voting2011.html or text “16” to 99158.
All Stars for Helping Kids is a philanthropic platform that enables former and current professional athletes to fully leverage their brand to address issues that impact kids, and was founded by NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott in 1989.
The Jefferson Awards for Public Service, named after Thomas Jefferson, are a prestigious national recognition system honoring community and public service in America. They began in 1972 to create a Nobel Prize for public service. Winners of this award are determined by the 64-person Board of Selectors. Past winners include Barbara Bush, Colin Powell, Peyton Manning and Oprah Winfrey.