US Air Force Officers Turn TX/OK Football Rivalry into Help for Suffering Afghanis
Every year, Beliefnet.com, the leading website for inspiration, nominates 10 people from all walks of life whose selfless actions made a major impact on their communities, the nation, and in some cases, the world.
This year’s nominees include Air Force Major Tobin Griffeth and Captain Katie Illingworth serving at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan, who turned their football rivalry—between the University of Texas Longhorns and the University of Oklahoma Sooners—into Operation Red River Cares, a charity drive that supplies warm clothes, shoes and school supplies for suffering Afghans.
We hope you’ll encourage folks to vote for Maj. Griffeth and Capt. Illingworth by visiting http://www.beliefnet.com/mostinspiringperson, where they can vote once daily for the nominee whose story inspires them the most.
There’s also a forum where visitors can share their own inspiring stories at: http://community.beliefnet.com/go/thread/view/43891/20154601/Who_Inspired_You_This_Year.
BELIEFNET ANNOUNCES 10 NOMINEES FOR
THE MOST INSPIRING PERSON OF THE YEAR FOR 2009
Leading Web Site for Daily Inspiration Salutes Those Who “Paid It Forward” During Recessionary Times, Brought Smiles to Millions with a Wedding Dance and Performed Unforgettable Acts of Sacrifice and Service Throughout 2009
~ Daily Voting Begins November 30thand Continues Through December 12th ~
New York, NY – Nov. 30, 2009 – LET THE VOTING BEGIN! Beliefnet.com, the leading online community for inspiration and multi-faith spirituality, today announced nominees for the ninth annual Most Inspiring Person of the Year award. The nomination is recognition by Beliefnet readers and editors of noteworthy humanitarian actions that inspire and encourage us all to live better lives. The Most Inspiring Person of the Year award is bestowed upon someone who has risen above expectations. He or she may have demonstrated courage, forgiveness, self-sacrifice or love under difficult and challenging circumstances—or simply spread life-affirming joy in a creative and uplifting way. Profiles of the 10 nominees, together with voting guidelines, can be found at:
http://www.beliefnet.com/mostinspiringperson.
From Nov. 30 to Dec. 12, visitors to the Web site can vote once daily for the person whose actions they find most inspiring. Each day during the voting period, a different nominee will be profiled on Beliefnet.com along with a gallery featuring photos and background for all candidates. Visitors can read the nominees’ biographies and log their votes for the Most Inspiring Person of the Year. People can vote as many times as they like, but only once daily. On December 12, voting will end, and editors will choose the 2009 honoree from the three nominees receiving the most votes. Beliefnet’s Most Inspiring Person of the Year will be announced on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009.
“It’s simply breathtaking how one true act of selflessness can inspire and encourage an entire nation—sometimes even the world—in empowering and life-affirming ways,” said Michael Kress, Beliefnet’s managing editor. “While this year has been a tough one for many, each of 10 our nominees have revealed an amazing inner spirit and sense of caring and concern for others. Their selfless actions remind us of the strength and resilience of the human spirit, and inspire each of us to do better, be better and live life fully.”
Nominees for Beliefnet’s Most Inspiring Person of the Year for 2009:
- Air Force Maj. Tobin Griffeth and Capt. Katie Illingworth―Football Rivals Rally in Support of Afghanistan Families
Air Force officers Maj. Tobin Griffeth and Capt. Katie Illingworth, serving at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan, turned the Battle of the Red River—a football rivalry between the University of Texas Longhorns and the University of Oklahoma Sooners—into Operation Red River Cares, a charity drive that supplies warm clothes, shoes and school supplies for suffering Afghans.
- Captain “Sully” Sullenberger― “Hero of the Hudson” Saved Everyone on Board His Plane
Minutes after takeoff, both engines of US Airways Flight 1549 went dead, and Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the commanding pilot, knew he had just moments to save the 155 people aboard. Capt. Sullenberger, 58, is nominated for his display of grace under pressure and devotion to duty. He has been lauded by everyone from presidents to his hometown fire department in Danville, Calif.
- Kaleb Eulls―High School Student Saved His Classmates’ Lives
When Kaleb Eulls, 18, saw a girl waving a gun around on a school bus, he didn’t stop to think. Eulls, one of the best high school quarterbacks in Mississippi, tackled the girl and allowed the 20 passengers to escape unharmed. He is nominated for having the courage to put himself in harm’s way to save others.
- Zach Bonner―Sixth-Grader Raises Money and Awareness for Homeless Children
Last year, 12-year-old Zach Bonner, of Tampa, Fla., made a 1200-mile “My House to the White House” walk to raise money to house homeless youth. This year, he has set off on a coast-to-coast walk to benefit a Boys’ and Girls’ Club in Los Angeles. From the time he was six years old, Zach has been on a mission; he’s collected bottled water for hurricane victims, filled backpacks with food, toys and essentials for homeless children, in an active conviction that no one is ever too young to change the world.
- Jill and Kevin’s Wedding Dance―Couple Spreads Joy and Combats Domestic Violence
Last June, bride-to-be Jill Peterson, her fiancé Kevin Heinz and 16 wedding attendants captured their wedding dance on video, releasing a flood of happiness that spread way beyond their St. Paul, Minn., church as the video went viral, garnering more than 32 million views on YouTube. The couple turned their inspirational video into an anti-domestic violence fundraising tool.
- Jorge Munoz―Bus Driver Spends Half His Salary on Feeding the Hungry
Jorge Munoz uses his modest salary as a school bus driver to buy food, help cook it and personally deliver it to hungry people living in Queens, N.Y.,—every day, rain or shine. Munoz, 45, organized a nonprofit organization called “An Angel in Queens” to serve more than 140 meals to the homeless through his own resources and small donations from local vendors.
- Paul Levy―Boston Hospital CEO Slashed Salary and Engaged Staff to Keep People Working
In a year of devastating budget cuts, Paul Levy, CEO of Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, was faced with the painful prospect of cutting 600 jobs. Levy, 59, involved the entire hospital staff in creating a plan that cut their own salaries and benefits, including his own, so that low-wage workers were spared and only 70 jobs were lost.
- Michael J. Fox―Celebrity Activist for Parkinson’s Disease and “Incurable Optimist”
In his long struggle with Parkinson’s disease, actor and author Michael J. Fox has never given in to the darkness of the disease. Instead, he uses it to rally people around the world in a fight against the degenerative brain illness. Even in the face of debilitating condition and the uncertainty of a cure he has raised more than $154 million dollars and is a vocal advocate for stem cell research.
- Danny Cottrell―Recession-Weary Pharmacist Inspired His Alabama Community to Pay It Forward
With many businesses struggling to survive the economic downturn, Danny Cottrell, a pharmacist in tiny Brewton, Ala., gave his 24 employees a bonus under the condition that they give 15 percent to charity and spend the rest at local businesses. Cottrell is nominated for demonstrating that neighbors can help neighbors out of tough economic times and for inspiring other businesses across the country to follow his lead and pay it forward.
- Iranians for Freedom―They Risked Their Lives for Democracy
After Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad captured a second term in a highly disputed election, hundreds of thousands of Iranian citizens took to the streets. The protesters are nominated for their refusal to defer the dream of democracy and their willingness to sacrifice their own personal freedom—and even their lives—to push for democracy.
Last year’s Most Inspiring Person of the Year honor went to Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch, whose “Last Lecture” video and bestselling book touched the hearts of millions of people around the world. Previous honorees also included the Virginia Tech Professor, leader and mentor Liviu Librescu in acknowledgement of the selfless courage when he sacrificed his life for his beloved students, and the Amish Community of Nickel Mines, Penn., in recognition for their remarkable spirit of forgiveness in reaction to the murder of five young girls from their tight-knit community.
Beliefnet readers can discuss the nominees and share more stories of inspiring moments from 2009 in the Beliefnet Community here: http://community.beliefnet.com/go/thread/view/43891/20154601/Who_Inspired_You_This_Year.
Beliefnet’s Most Inspiring Person of the Year for 2009 is sponsored by Liberty Mutual’s The Responsibility Project. Please check out: http://www.responsibilityproject.com/.
About Beliefnet
Beliefnet, a recipient of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence Online, is the largest multi-faith online community for spirituality and inspiration. Its mission is to help people find and walk a spiritual path that instills comfort, hope, clarity, strength and happiness for people who are exploring their own faith or curious about others. Whether traditional, new age, holistic or alternative, Beliefnet is the definitive source of spiritual information presented without defined editorial point-of-view and is the leading authority for major news organizations in the United States. Resources include blogs and social networking tools, feature articles and videos, quizzes, devotionals, photo galleries and interviews with noted politicians, celebrities and spiritual leaders. Beliefnet has more than 14 million newsletter subscribers and averages 3 million unique visitors a month. A unit of News Corp Digital Media, Beliefnet is not affiliated with any spiritual organization or movement, and has partnerships with The Wall Street Journal, Chicken Soup for the Soul and Fox Faith.
