Shane Boyd, National Football League professional athlete takes time out to be involved in the Twin Cities community even as the NFL season gets underway. While most are glued to television screens to see these athletes make plays and win (or lose) games Shane takes advantage of the time he has off the field to be a part of the development of the young people in our community. Even as the news focuses on the issues that members of the next generation are having and the problems they are causing on a daily basis Mr. Boyd makes time to invest in positive reinforcement. He is focused on ensuring that the next generations of leaders in our community have an opportunity to be exposed to concepts that provide them with the necessary skills to be assets to the Twin Cities. Young people cannot aspire to what they have not been exposed. Mr. Boyd through his efforts affords them a chance to establish aspirations beyond what most would expect of our up and coming community leaders.

Shane was kind enough to answer a few questions about his service to the Twin Cities:

Q: You've played football for teams all around the world and established fans everywhere. How did you decide to become active in the Twin Cities community?

SB: I have been blessed to play on a few teams in the NFL & I invest in all the communities where I play. The big reason I was blessed to become active in the Twin Cities area is b/c of Larry Fitzgerald who grew up in south Minneapolis. We were teammates in 06/07 season & became best friends & I started training here every summer w/ him & started to make a lot of relationships w/ the ppl of the twin cities

Q: With everything that comes along with the lifestyle of a professional athlete why have you taken on this project to distribute school supplies to students in the Twin Cities?

SB: I see a great need for assisting those less fortunate & especially when it comes to helping kids. I didn't grow up wealthy in money so I understand what it is to struggle & need assistance so I saw my good friend Galie Jaddunath heavily involved w/ it & she saw fit to include me in the program & I was excited to be a part of it.

Boyd with mentee

Q: Local community members are often seeking ways to be involved with the development and uplift of youth. Please share information on how people can get involved with the work that you do or other projects that you know of.

SB: I make it a point to be very accessible when it comes to outreach programs & events so I can always be contacted thru my Twitter: @ShaneBoyd7 Facebook Fan-Page: www.facebook.com/ShaneABoyd & can be reached thru Email: hotboyd2@hotmail.com I'm always open to helping others programs & bringing people on board with my happenings as well.

Q: How do you measure success in terms of community impact? What indicators exist to let you know that you've been an asset to the community in your endeavors of service to and uplift?


SB: I measure success in a community setting by not the number of kids I'm able to impact, but by the number of kids that have smile on their face & realize they can & will achieve their dreams or whatever they strive to be. [Lately] it seems as if kids are steered away from dreaming so when if one kid is able to realize his or her worth, that measures success to me. There is nothing like to see a kid you helped come back one day & simply say THANK YOU for all your help & support in achieving their goals. Fills a person with immeasurable joy.

Q: What advice do you have to offer young student athletes with aspirations of playing professionally?


SB: The advice I give to all student-athletes about aspiring to become pro is to keep God first & never, never, never stop believing. If it's something you want don't let anything stop you (family, friends, etc.). Always keep reminders of your goal around you as well. Me for example I have what is called a "Dream Capsule" and it has my short & long term goals written in it and I wear it everyday. Its a constant reminder of what I'm working to achieve on a daily basis so when I lose focus I just look down at my chest & my capsule & it instantly pops me back in my zone. I also wear a bracelet that says "GODSTRONG" that reminds me who I get my strength from.

Q: Is there anything additional that you'd like to share with community members? Thanks, shoutouts, etc.

SB: I would like to first thank my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ for everything He has blessed me with. A shout out to my support staff in the twin cities which is too many to name but they know exactly who they are. Special thanks to Larry Fitzgerald for welcoming me into his Minnesota family & big ups to Galie Jaddunath for her interest & support in my career & in the communities of the Twin Cities because she is impacting the youth in a major way.

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I would implore more professional athletes like Shane Boyd to take better advantage of the time they have off of the fields, courts, tracks, etc. to be a part of the effort to prepare the next generation to take the reins of leadership in the Twin Cities.

Follow Boyd and his efforts:

Twitter: @ShaneBoyd7

Facebook Fan-Page: www.facebook.com/ShaneABoyd

Peace,

Proverb

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