Seven-time Olympic Commentator and professional speaker Lewis Johnson concluded his hugely successful World-Class Coat Drive Wednesday and Thursday with visits to Boys & Girls Clubs in New York and New Jersey to distribute over 500 coats, hats, scarves, gloves, clothing and winter wear.
Lewis shared an Olympic-themed inspirational speech with over 250 youth at Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County in Jersey City and 100 at the Educational Alliance Boys & Girls Club at P.S. 188 in New York. He urged his young audience to set goals for themselves, strive for their best and pursue their dreams like an Olympic athlete. Several students participated in his interactive program including mock-interviews, as Lewis interviewed several youth as if they’d just won a gold medal in the Olympic games. He wanted this young audience to experience that feeling of greatness and sense of accomplishment after they have worked hard to achieve their goals. Lewis expressed that each of them could be a champion in their respective field of study or sport but they must first work hard in school. After the presentation, all young attendees received the donated winter apparel.
“We are grateful for Mr Johnson’s generous spirit. His vision for helping kids and families have ensured our kids will be better taken care of this winter,” says Gary Greenberg, Executive Director, Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County in New Jersey. “The event was outstanding!”
In New York at the Educational Alliance Boys & Girls Club at P.S. 188, Lewis was joined by Olympian Diane Dixon and expert Olympic course measurer David Katz, who shared how their outgoing personalities and interest in math and science in elementary school propelled them to success in their chosen fields. Lewis shared his 5 Characterics of an Olympian as a guideline for these future Olympians: #1. Dream #2. Prepare #3. No Cheating #4. Teamwork #5. Never Give Up.
World-Class athletes, Olympians, Super Bowl champs and his generous Dallas/Fort Worth community donated to his charitable effort to help families in need that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Lewis was in New York days after Hurricane Sandy devasted the northeast and was compelled to help families in hard-hit areas stay warm for the winter.
Olympians and athletes who donated coats and supported Lewis Johnson’s World-Class Coat Drive including Olympians Jon Drummond, Team USA relays coach and Gold Medalist; Michelle Carter, two-time Olympic Shot Putter; Rickey Dudley, NFL Super Bowl XXXVII champion;Carl Sheffield, Director of Track & Field University of North Texas; and Dallas Cowboys great and three-time NFL Super Bowl Champion Russell Maryland and former Atlanta Falcons and Shaolin Martial Arts Master Michael Reid.
Seven locations in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex collected new and clean gently used winter coats, jackets, scarves, hats and gloves fromDecember 15 – December 29, 2012 for the World-Class Coat Drive. Donations were collected to benefit Boys and Girls Clubs in the NY/NJ Metropolitan area and New York Cares 24th Annual Coat Drive.
Lewis Johnson parlayed his passion for sports and television into a career that has taken him on a journey from Olympic hopeful to Olympic Commentator. As a student-athlete at the University of Cincinnati, he qualified for two Olympic Trials but his Olympic aspirations came to an abrupt end after being eliminated. Never one to give up, Lewis made his lifetime dream by becoming an Olympic Broadcaster….seven times over!
Lewis was recently named one of the BEST SIDELINE REPORTERS 2012 (NBC) for SportsIlustrated.com (SI.com). He is currently Media Training with Michael Johnson Performance (TX) and IMG Academy (FL) to prepare top athletes for the NFL Combine. Lewis is co-hosting Athletes in Action Super Bowl Breakfast with Brent Jones, three-time Super Bowl Champion, San Francisco 49ers and presenting Dallas Cowboys Jason Witten with the 2013 Bart Starr Award. On-air, Lewis will cover the 2013 Indoor USA Track and Field Championship Series: New Balance Indoor Grand Prix (Boston), Millrose Games (NY) and USA Indoor Track and Field Championships (Albuquerque, NM). Lewis speaks around the country on “Social Media: Impact on “Your” Brand, Team and Organziation”; “Leadership”; “Goal-Setting” and “Stories of Triumph and Tragedy: A View from the Olympic Booth”
