Honor: Recognize the unnoticed deeds

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licensingbook.com

                When you hear the name Derek Jeter, what comes to mind?

                The poster child for baseball?

   The New York Yankees captain?

                My future husband?

                While not all of these thoughts or images might have popped into your head, did you ever consider him as the founder of the Turn 2 Foundation?

            Begun by Jeter during his 1996 rookie season with the Yankees, Turn 2 works to “promote healthy lifestyles among youth,” said the foundation’s website.

The foundation motivates young people “to turn away from drugs and alcohol and ‘Turn 2’ healthy lifestyles.”

Photo courtesy of
sportsphilanthropy.com

           Since its beginning, Turn 2 has given away more than $16 million in grants so programs and activities could be created to promote the foundation’s mission.

           Jeter’s foundation does not usually come up in regular conversation about the baseball great, but that will soon change after Siena College presents him with an honorary doctorate during its May 13 commencement.

           No, Jeter will not be receiving a Doctorate of Humane Letters degree for his nine years as the Yankees’ captain, his five World Series Championships, his 12 appearances in All-Star games or membership in the 3,000-hits club.

            Siena chose to honor Jeter because of “his leadership, accomplishments on the baseball field and dedication to improving the lives of young people through his Turn 2 Foundation,” said a Fox23news.com story.

            Yes, one out of the three reasons might have been for his baseball feats, but the majority came from his work outside of Yankee Stadium.

            And his work has inspired Siena.

            The Catholic Franciscan college, located in Loudonville, N.Y., will now provide two full grants to qualified students who have previously participated in one of Turn 2’s 17 signature programs.

I hope this brings to light the “other side” of Jeter – the side and the deeds that go unnoticed.

And I think it will.

So does Jeter’s close friend and Siena graduate, Geoff Walker, who said, “’We know all about Derek’s on-field successes, but his legacy will have its greatest impact through students in the Turn 2 Foundation.’”

Siena made an admirable choice by honoring Jeter at commencement.

He deserves to be recognized for the work he has done off the field to positively impact children’s lives so they can become future leaders.

Fenway Park 2009
The Yankees won!
(obviously)

Siena’s choice reminded me that sometimes what we see is not always the whole picture.

Jeter’s good deeds, whether well known or not, should go unnoticed for this exact reason.

I never doubted Jeter’s good nature and want to help others, but now the whole nation can see it, too.

Congrats to you, Derek.

              And thank you, Siena, for highlighting a person’s good deeds.