BATON ROUGE -- Ronnie Lott, NFL Hall of Famer and founder of All Stars Helping Kids,  announced the ten “Dream Team For Public Service” finalistists from 53 nominees selected for the Jefferson Awards for Public Service, which will recognize the top athletes who have given back to their community. 

The 10 will be officially recognized in New York City at the third annual Sports Business and Philanthropy Luncheon on Tuesday, December 8.  In addition, two top winners will be honored at the national Jefferson Awards ceremony June 22nd in Washington, D.C. Past Jefferson Awards winners include four Supreme Court Justices, seven Secretaries of State; as well as Oprah Winfrey, Alan Greenspan, Peyton Manning, Colin Powell, Lance Armstrong, Barbara Bush and Bill and Melinda Gates.

Among the finalists are former LSU men’s basketball player and now Chicago Bulls star, Tyrus Thomas. Thomas was the 2006 SEC Freshman of the Year and helped lead LSU to the NCAA Final Four.

The ten “Dream Team For Public Service” winners were selected by the prestigious Jefferson Award board and public voting:
 
Nnamdi Asomugha (Lafayette, La.) defensive back, Oakland Raiders, NFL
Curtis Granderson (Chicago, Ill.), all-star outfielder Detroit Tigers, MLB
Stuart Holden (Houston, Tx.) forward, Houston Dynamo, MLS
Dwight Howard (Orlando, Fla.), all-star forward, Orlando Magic, NBA
Dirk Nowitzki  (Wurzburg, Germany), all-star forward, Dallas Mavericks, NBA
Tyrus Thomas (Baton Rouge, La.), forward, Chicago Bulls, NBA
Justin Tuck (Coosa County, Ala.) all-pro defensive end, New York Giants, NFL
Lauryn Williams (Rochester, Pa.), Olympian and World Champion sprinter
Venus Williams (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) Olympian and Grand Slam champion, WTA
Ryan Zimmerman (Washington, N.C.) all-star outfielder, Washington Nationals, MLB

Teams from across the sports world nominated 53 athletes from 10 sports, with each athlete having a track record of community outreach as well as a sincere passion for service. Fan voting was conducted online or via text message, with over 25,000 votes logged during the process.

“These champions represent a wide swath of success both on and off the playing field, and we are very excited to be able to honor this group,” Lott said. “The real winners in this process are the millions of people that all these athletes have assisted in community service. It is an honor for us to recognize this group and assist all of them in their very noble endeavors.”

Sam Beard, founder of the Jefferson Awards for Public Service said, “Many times we forget that elite athletes from so many different walks of life are using their stature to make an impact – especially as role models for young Americans. This group is a great cross-sampling of what is being done in so many sports to impact the lives of others.  They are all leaders and champions in their own way and we are proud to salute them all.”

Tyrus Thomas will continue his supportive efforts in the Baton Rouge area through the Thanksgiving Holiday in the Thanksgiving Together Meal with Holiday Helpers and Citadel Broadcasting, as well as the continuance of the CATCH program.

Thomas,  from Baton Rouge, established the Tyrus Thomas Foundation in 2007, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children in the Chicago area as well as his home state of Louisiana. The foundation will team up with the Baton Rouge Area Foundation to fund educational and recreational programs that target at-risk children. In addition to his many community-based achievements, Thomas has also started and personally funds a youth retention program in Baton Rouge entitled C.A.T.C.H. (Caring and Actively Teaching Children Hope). The first goal of Tyrus Thomas Inc. is to improve the lives of "at risk" youth in the Greater Baton Rouge area. TTI hopes to do this through the youth retention program entitled C.A.T.C.H. - Caring and Actively Teaching Children Hope through: Character and leadership empowerment; Advocating Educational Development; Teaching Financial and Economic literacy; Capturing the Arts; and a Healthy Mind and Body initiative.

August 2009 marked the graduation of the first C.A.T.C.H. students initiative program for at-risk students. When asked about his vision for the C.A.T.C.H.  Program, Founder Tyrus Thomas stated, “I can’t say it enough, but we want to save lives and have a drastic impact on kids through the C.A.T.C.H. program and Tyrus Thomas, Inc. Everything I do, it’s for the kids and to help others.  I’m finally seeing my dreams fulfilled through what we are doing with the C.A.T.C.H. program, and I want to thank everyone who has made that possible.”

In his two seasons in the NBA, Tyrus Thomas has already made a huge impact in his community. He leads his team in community appearances and was given the team’s Charles S. Lubin Award for Community Service during the Chicago Bulls FestaBulls fundraiser and dinner. Thomas has also received the CDW/Blackberry Community Player of the Year. Ultimately, he believes in community work and he not only considers it a responsibility, but a great joy. 


Thomas, due to his dedication to helping at-risk children in the Baton Rouge and Chicago communities was been selected as honorary chair and delegate with Athletes Across Borders.  Athletes Across Borders are athletes from around the world who come together to support the nation’s youths.