One by One

We recently covered the story of Jim and Nancy Dornan, who are among our top Amway distributor leaders and members of the Amway Founders Council.

The Dornans have invested in many great causes for children over the years through their Network of Caring and the Fernando Foundation.

One of the causes closest to their hearts is Power Soccer. Below is a video that tells the story.

How do you bring hope and opportunity to children who are confined to power wheelchairs? How do you empower their parents, who battle emotional and financial stress in raising children with extreme needs?

Last week, we visited Jim and Nancy Dornan, Amway Founders Crown Ambassadors from Atlanta, Georgia. The Dornans have faced these same challenges with their son Eric, who was born with Spina Bifida.

Working with a team of creative and passionate people, the Dornans have invested in a sport that provides an outlet for children and their parents, and builds a network of supportive relationships at the local and global level.

It’s called Power Soccer, and it is easily the largest organized sport for children and adults in power wheelchairs.

Investing in Power Soccer over the past twenty years, the Dornans have helped to grow the sport from around five teams, to more than 60, while building a structured competitive system that is standardized across multiple countries.

The game is customized to allow shots, blocks and passes from power wheelchairs. The chairs are also customized to provide freedom of movement and a fast-paced game that requires incredible spatial awareness and quick responses. There is an incredible amount of team spirit, and quiet communication between teammates.

With support from the Dornans, a dedicated team is elevating the sport through the Fernando Foundtion. It includes Eric Dornan, player and organizer; David Ruelas, Fernando Foundation director and manager of a shop that provides customized wheelchairs and game equipment; Jerry Frick, coach and mentor; and Jerome “Pika” Durand, champion player and Power Soccer spokesperson.

This isn’t the only cause that the Dornans have taken on and grown. They have inspired thousands of child sponsorships through World Vision, built schools and orphanages in Europe, Africa and Asia, and delivered wheelchairs thousands of people around the world who cannot afford them through Free Wheelchair Mission.

Yet it’s evident that Power Soccer is close to their hearts. It serves as a demonstration of their faith and determination to positively impact the world around them.

We will soon share more of this story as part of our exploration of how Amway leaders are investing in causes for children around the world.

Thanks to RD Saunders and Colleen Scott for opening the doors to us on this incredible story.

We’re out of the office today!

Jim and Nancy Dornan are some of our top Amway distributors, reaching the Founders Crown Ambassador level, and serving as part of the Amway Founders Council.

This week, we will visit one of the projects the Dornans and other distributors in the US are supporting called Power Soccer. It provides opportunities for those who are in power wheelchairs to participate in organized sports competition. We will do interviews and take photos, and create a video to tell the story.

This is part of a broader initiative to partner with Amway distributor leaders through the Amway One by One campaign. We’ve already visited programs in Taiwan and Guatemala, and look forward to seeing this program in the US.

Stay tuned for more.