One of my favorite current players is Derrick Coleman. If you're not familiar with him, he's #40 on the roster. He's a fullback out of UCLA. And he's also the only legally deaf player in the NFL. Through his Derrick Coleman No Excuses Foundation, he brings awareness to the need of hearing aids for children, and adults alike, as well as bullying prevention for the deaf and hard of hearing.
On June 1, 2014, a post made on Derrick's Facebook page caught my eye. It read:
"I have a challenge for the creative people
Would anyone like to donate your time and create the design for my next T-Shirt. All the proceeds will good to fund the hearing aid portion of the foundation or the bullying portion of the foundation.
Our Facebook family will select the winner
The winner will be able to choose where he or she would like the funds allocated.
If you are interested in submitting your design please inbox me your willingness to participate no later than 5 pm on tomorrow (Monday June 2, 2014) for more details
Thank you in advance"
As a creative artist type, I could not pass up this opportunity. Not only would it get my design wheels turning, but it would be an opportunity to create something to potentially help a really good cause. I inboxed my interest and waited for the next step. Once I found out the deadline, I went to work. Surprisingly, my idea came to me fairly quickly. I sketched out the first thing that came to mind - half of an ear with half of a heart. I got on my computer and started to play with my design. Colors. Fonts. A different color. A different font. Save. Submit.
On Saturday, June 7th, voting began on Derrick's Facebook page. It was fast and furious. There were 10 designs. There were 5 rounds of 2 designs against each other. After those rounds were done, the 5 winners went up against each other in round after round, each with the top vote-getters moving on to the next round. As my design continued to get vote after vote and continued to move on from round to round, my emotions and nerves started to get the best of me. This, to me, was exceptionally overwhelming. People, STRANGERS, were adamantly voting for my design over and over again.
After the final round of voting, it was announced that my design, MY design, had won! My design was going to be turned into a t-shirt to benefit Derrick Coleman's foundation. How incredible and surreal is that???
And now it's here. My All Heart/No Excuses design is on a variety of shirts, available for purchase, through Derrick Coleman's website. I ask you to please take a look and consider purchasing a t-shirt, or hoodie, for yourself or your loved one. You don't even have to choose the design I created. Just purchase something you like and help out a really great cause!
For the record, I did not, and will not be paid for this. I have no personal financial reason for having done this design or for promoting it. It is a matter of love and of compassion for a good cause. My reward in this is a great boost of confidence for me and my abilities, along with the knowledge that people enjoyed my work and will be buying it to help out Derrick Coleman and his foundation.
No Excuses Shop
Thank you for reading!
