DANA POINT, Calif. (October 16, 2015) Last night at the sixth annual The espnW: Women + Sports Summit presented by Toyota, espnW and Toyota announced the third class of “Everyday Heroes,” an award that celebrates individuals making a difference for women and girls in their local communities through sports. Grants in the amount of $10,000 are provided to the organizations honored.

“As presenting sponsor of the espnW Summit, Toyota has a special opportunity to celebrate individuals who help blaze the trail for girls and women in sports,” said Dionne Colvin-Lovely, Director, Traditional and New Media, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. “The activities of the Every Day Heroes are an inspiration, and a great reminder of how anyone with passion and a vision can make a colossal impact in their community and the world around them.”

The 2015 Toyota “Everyday Heroes” are:

Chrissy Lewis-Summers (Founder, Beyond Sticks)
Founded in 2010, Beyond Sticks seeks to empower young women through sport.  The organization focuses on an integrative approach to leadership and confidence alongside technical game instruction.  While many sports organizations focus only on the technical aspects needed to achieve success on the field, Beyond Sticks systematically empowers student-athletes to become leaders through sport. 

Heidi Boynton (Founder, Mini Mermaid Running Club)
The Mini Mermaid Running Club is a unique running club for girls ranging from 5-15 years old. Their goal is to help build self-esteem, teach healthy eating and living skills, while giving girls a chance to fall in love with running, move their bodies and experience the satisfaction of crossing a finish line.  They want to provide all girls with strategies to combat feelings of insecurity and tools to build self-esteem.  Thus, they are empowering girls to make better choices in the future. They are changing the lives of girls and young women by shifting their internal experience and the way they interact with the world around them. The program operates in 13 states and 9 countries, and in just over six years, more than 5,200 girls have participated in the program.

“We’re amazed and inspired by each of the honorees in this year’s class,” said espnW vice president Laura Gentile. “espnW is proud to again team with Toyota to recognize the achievements of these heroes, who have displayed remarkable leadership and selflessness.”

To qualify for an Everyday Heroes grant, a person and/or organization must:

• Have been in the sports industry for at least three years;
• Be currently making a meaningful impact on the women’s sports landscape in her local community with quantifiable results, including creating more sports opportunities for girls and women, inspiring them with a meaningful message and encouraging girls and women to take action in their communities;
• Not yet have gained notoriety in the national media landscape.

Last year’s Toyota Everyday Heroes were Dr. Kimberley S. Clay, co-founder of Play Like a Girl!; Monica Gonzalez, founder of Gonzo Soccer; and Claire Smallwood, co-founder and executive director of SheJumps.