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Will Shields |
Soloman Shields didn’t exactly grasp the premise.
Soloman, age 2, had gone with his father, Chiefs OG Will Shields, and the rest of his
family to give Christmas gifts to children who lived at the Marillac Center, a Kansas City
home for children with emotional and behavioral disorders. The Shields family got wish
lists from every child in the center and purchased gifts for each one of them. But little
Soloman got a bit carried away.
"Soloman enjoys giving presents," Will Shields recalled with a chuckle.
"So he’s running around just giving kids presents, even if they’re not
theirs."
While Soloman may have missed some of the particulars in his youthful exuberance,
it’s not hard to see where his big heart comes from. His father has shown a continued
commitment to giving his time and money to a wide range of philanthropic programs.
For those reasons, Will Shields has been elected the winner of the inaugural Pro
Football Weekly Arthur S. Arkush Humanitarian Award. The award, to be presented
annually, recognizes an NFL player whose contributions to the community and charitable
causes are both outstanding and hands-on.
Shields has been dedicated to helping others throughout his NFL career. As a rookie,
Shields started the Will To Succeed Foundation, which he says was "based on the
premise of helping battered and abused women and children." The Marillac Center was
one of the first places Shields decided to focus his charitable efforts.
Shields and his wife regularly visit with the children at the center and also sponsor
special events there. Shields recently donated $10,000 last year to help refurbish two
living units at the center.
In all of his charitable endeavors, Shields’ goal is to inspire women and
children, build their self-esteem and provide tools for them to improve their situations.
One of Shields’ main messages to children is about the importance of education.
But he doesn’t believe mere words are enough.
"I think it’s important to be a positive influence on children … not
just a person who’s going to say, ‘Come on in here and stay in school,’
" Shields said. "Give them a reason that they should stay in school.
"There’s a lot of people who say, ‘I see this guy over here on the
corner making this kind of money and getting away with that. What about me? Why should I
stay in school?’
"Give them incentives to work toward to actually give them an opportunity to open
their minds."
Shields believes opportunities should be cherished and exploited to the fullest. That
philosophy is a product of his past. He nearly missed his chance at going to college on a
football scholarship because he had trouble passing the ACT. His experience has become
part of his message.
"I never thought further than what I needed next week, and that was it. And then
these colleges and schools started talking to me (and saying I) could go and play
football," Shields said. "(I asked) what do I need to do, (and they said) to
take this test and pass it.
"Basically, I just tell the kids, I went through and took this test and had a very
difficult time passing it. There were only two or three schools left at that particular
point in time because (people) didn’t think I was going to pass it. (Other schools)
had sort of snatched those opportunities away."
Shields finally scored well enough on the ACT and went to Nebraska, eventually earning
a degree in communications. Now he’s the one providing myriad opportunities. Among
them:
- He donated $6,000 to create a library at St. Monica’s, an inner-city school that
had never had one.
- He helped equip a computer room at St. Vincent’s Family Center with 10 computer
stations, printers, digital cameras and Internet access.
- His foundation awarded five $2,000 scholarships to high school students through the
Urban League’s Thurgood Marshall Society.
- The foundation also created a Hall of Fame at 17 middle and high schools featuring the
pictures of students who improved their grades.
Besides children, Shields focuses his attention on helping battered and abused women.
"We have different programs that go on in different areas, but I think the ones
that are most special to me are some of the ones that we do with battered and abused women
and children," Shields said. "It’s a great thing when numbers are down,
because that means there’s not as many women in the shelters."
One of Shields’ favorite activities was the Day of Beauty, when he sponsored a
trip for women from a local shelter to a local spa for makeovers, massages and the like.
The goal was to rebuild the women’s self-esteem.
"It’s getting them ready to go back into the world and fight for themselves,
to find the person that they never thought they could see again," Shields said.
Breaking the cycle of abuse and helping children escape poverty are big goals, but
those are the challenges Shields has tackled. But the rewards for Shields are in the small
things.
"When I do football camps … it’s a wonderful thing to know that the
kids enjoyed the camp, but it makes you feel even better when they ask, ‘Is Will
coming to the camp this year? I enjoyed working with him last year,’ " Shields
said. "Those things make you feel even better, because you know that they not only
learned something at the camp (but) that maybe you rubbed off a little bit."
This penchant for giving has also rubbed off on Soloman, as well as Will Shields’
other two children.
"It sort of keeps them well-grounded to know that there’s always something
more you can do or somebody who will need your help," Shields said. "It lets
your children know … that it’s even cooler to watch somebody’s face light
up when you give them a present than when you get one."
That’s a lesson even a 2-year-old can learn. Just ask Soloman Shields.
For more information on Will Shields’ foundation, visit its Web site at www.will2succeed.com. |
