I AM BODY PROUD - ATHLETE FUND - HELP INDIVIDUALS REACH THEIR BODY PROUD DREAMS!

The I AM BODY PROUD Athlete Fund

Purpose:
To help members of the Body Proud community reach their goals - and to promote the fact that ANYONE can become Body Proud. All you need is a vision (your most desired Body Proud physique) and added incentive to attain it.

Who:
Anyone who has joined this site and would like to become Body Proud can apply for this fund.

The fund describes itself as an 'Athlete Fund' and this is because all Body Proud members should set their goals to include getting up on the FAME Stage, amongst fellow Body Proud community members, to reveal their Body Proud physique with pride!!

How:
By setting a contest as an end date by which to target your Body Proud goals encourages motivation to stick with your plan and continue to main focus throughout. It's a proven fact that setting a specific timeline will help ensure you maintain your dedication and stay on course. Plus what better way than being amongst your friends, role models and those who have been giving you advice along the way! Furthermore having the opportunity to showcase your physique transformation results on stage with fellow Body Proud community members is a prize by itself!

What:
The I AM BODY PROUD Athlete Fund is a subsidiary of the DRUG FREE SPORTS ASSOCIATION (DFSA-a registered Not-for-Profit Association) so donations to the DFSA also go towards the Athlete Fund with allocations also made towards drug testing, accommodations at events, proper nutrition etc.

Eligibility:
* Post your name and detailed story showing why this fund is important for you.
* Keep your Body Proud profile updated - profile, blogs, posts, friendships formed.

Congratulations:
Congratulations to the following athletes who were awarded FREE Entry to any of the International FAME World Tour events from the Dec 2008 donations to the BODY Proud Athlete Fund... Eydie Anderson and Pamela Lee Atwood. Click here.

Thanks for Inspiring Body Proud!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by HILARY HAGNER on January 7, 2009 at 3:56pm: First off I would just like to say thank you for this opportunity and for taking the time to read about my story and my dreams.

My name is Hilary Celeste Coffie. I am 26yrs old, I have been married to my best friend for 3yrs on 01-14-09. We have 2 BEAUTIFUL little boys: Bryce is 2 1/2yrs old and Brayden is 18month. I'd like to say that my family inspires me the most, but in fact they encourage me the most. My past is what motivates me. My mom died against her battle with a Brain Aneurysm when I was 8yrs old. My mom cooked everything for us. She was really into health: proper eating and exercise. I remember her power walking with wrist and ankle weights while my sister and I rode around in circles around her on our bikes. They was a daily thing for us back then.

After her passing it was then up to my dad to take care of us. He worked 24hrs which meant a lot of staying inside and take-out dinners. I BALLOONED! I recall being 150lbs in 7th grade!!! That was after my sister moved out and we had made a move to the other side of town. I was incredibly insecure. I never wanted any attention on me in fear that I would look stupid or people could see how fat and ugly I was- (or at least I thought). I have a distinctive memory when it comes to all the times that the "cute/popular" boys would walk by me in jr high and SHOUTING "JUMANJI" (referring me to the over-sized animals in the movie). As they yelled they would throw their bodies onto the lockers as if they couldnt fit in the hallway with me as I walked by.

As jr high school was coming to an end I knew that high school was coming. A new school, new kids to make fun of me and new opportunity to fail. It was then that I snapped. I thought, "you know what? this isnt an opportunity to fail, this is an opportunity to show them that they dont know me at all!!" I started playing sports- Mainly basketball. I fell in love with the sport and got heart-broken when I got cut during the season of my freshman year. They told me to run track for a year to help me with my speed down the court. Well, I tried out for cheerleading instead (random- I know!). I made it! I became incredibly good because of my hardwork ethic and drive. I dropped dramatic weight because I was determined to be skinny...only I did it because I didnt eat. If I did eat then I'd find someway to make sure that it didnt stay in my stomach for long (yuck, right??). My senior year I made captain (woo hoo!) The nomination was done by the other cheerleaders votes. They all said they chose me because I am the "most motivating". That was the BIGGEST compliment anyone had ever given me. I went on to cheer at the University of Houston- GO COOGS!

It was then that I realized my role as a cheerleader. I saw little girls staring at me during the games and later asking for my autograph. I thought "OMG these little girls want to be me when they grow up. What kinda example am I if I am starving myself all day/everyday?". I went to see a well-know local nutritionist and she helped me with my diet. I lost so much body fat AND WEIGHT...I couldnt believe I was starving myself all this time and all I needed to do was to EAT to get the body fat off...lol! We've all been there :) Later, my friend bought me personal training sessions with his trainer for christmas one year and I fell IN LOVE with the industry. I got certified and have been training since (2003).

In a nut shell this is why I desire to be a professional fitness model (and role model):
I am determind to make my mother proud even in her passing. I know that she would love what is happening in the women's fitness industry right now and I want to help young girls that may be faced with the same struggles that I had and give them hope. I have a few visions of programs that I would like to be a part of or create myself to help teens (high schoolers) get the education they need to live a long and healthy life. In addition, I see myself as a fitness model (goofy, fun, spunky and fit) and opposed to a sex symbol. I think its more relatable for everyone and I believe parents would like their kids to be aspired by people of good character. OH...and...Id LOVE to be on all the fitness magazine covers of the well known magazine to show all those little punks back from back in the day how "cool" they really are when they walk by the magazine rack at the store and keep seeing MY FACE!!! :) I love a true underdog story! What didnt kill me only made me stronger! ~For that I thank them!

I've been doing so much to promote myself by scraping up money to pay for photo shoots, signing up for competitions and paying for my coach (his wisdom and help is COMPLETLY neccessary) and my suits and etc. 2009 will be my first year to compete and I am already signed up for the LONESTAR show. I spoke to Kai already about competing in more than just the fitness modeling category. I would like to also do bikini and figure but I was waiting to see if I could get it sponsored. Considering I dont have any sponsors, I was just going to trust God that I would land one. Maybe you're that angel!! This money will not only help with the LONESTAR Show but would possibly enable me to compete in an additional show. I would VERY much LOVE to do the NOVEMBER-Miami show. I have family there that would love to see me compete. This is my year and I am ready to shine!!

Please consider me for the 3rd person to recieve the fund!!!

Thanks again!
Hilary C Coffie

I'd like to add that I am a VERY hard worker. When I make up my mind to do something I pour 100% of my heart and energy into the project that I am given. I am very proud to be a part of BODY PROUD. I found in on my own searching cause I was looking for something where women and men all over the world can come together and talk about the things that we all have in common. I would love to not only represent Body Proud/FAME but to be an advocate of the program.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Erin Crawford on January 7, 2009 at 11:41pm: Hello My Name is Erin Crawford,

I would firstly like to thank who all had a part in the making of this website and association! Secondly I am so very happy just to be apart of such a strong network of like minded people.

I am a full time employee and a full time student studying physical preparation. My BodyProud long term goal is to be a Pro Figure Athlete. My short term BodyProud goal is to get up on stage @ FameWest North Vancouver March 28th without stage fright!

My other fear is going into debt getting there. I am trying to give myself an education and to pursue my love for competing. I am a very driven athlete and student. I spend every waking moment either working to fund my passion both competing and education; or at the gym achieving the results need to compete.

If it is at all possible to help elevate some of the costs such as competition costs, supplements, suits, posing coaching(get rid of that nasty fear ;0) ), gym fees, etc etc. I would be most grateful!

Thank you for your consideration,

Erin Crawford; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by BodyProud on January 10, 2009 at 8:54pm: Thanks Hilary for submitting your story for consideration!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by BodyProud on January 14, 2009 at 2:09pm: Thank you Rachel from Bronze Baxx for your contribution today!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by FAME World Tour on January 20, 2009 at 4:37pm: We would like to thank all those who generously donated to the "I AM BODY PROUD ATHLETE FUND" and the Drug Free Sports Association (DFSA)

Femi Olagoke
Tina Quarles
Sarah Swinamer
Martone Fuller
Caroline Martinez
Anneri Berry
Nicole Cavallieri
Danielle Delikat
Alec Dewdney
Kenneth Hall
Pierre Lajoie
Aly Samabaly
Sam Casey
Anna Rose
Paul Wilcox

THANK YOU for helping provide individuals with the opportunity to showcase their new Body Proud physique as part of the FAME World Tour!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gulin V on January 20, 2009 at 5:05pm: Hi, my name is Gulin Villeneuve and I am a mother of 3 beautiful children (aged 11 months, 5 years and 8 years old). Since having my son in February of last year I have been working hard to aim for this competition in Vancouver in March. I have lost 40lbs in weight so far and have changed my body considerably. I have my friends and my personal trainer to thank for keeping me positive and keeping towards my goal.

Unfortunately, I have just been told that I am going to be made redundant. I was employed full time. I am actively looking for work, however my residency status has not yet been completed. As you can imagine this puts me and my family in a very difficult situation, even if I could find work, I am unable to. This is also putting a huge strain on my husband.

I was finally ready to give up my goal and dream when my husband told me to hang on in there, to keep working towards it and wait and see what happens. So, I will continue to work towards my goal in the hope that I can make it.

Please consider my application for this competition. I greatly appreciate your time reading my story. I have attached a photo showing me 11 weeks out from competition date.

All the best

Gulin Villeneuve; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Andre M Bland on January 21, 2009 at 8:56pm

I'm not sure how exactly I go about applying for the athlete fund so I guess I'll just share my story through the reply tab.

My name is Andre Marriott Bland. I'm 20 years old and I'll be turning 21 on February 12th, 2 days before the FAME Northeastern Show. I'm a competitive bodybuilder and I'm completely new to the FAME community.

I've been involved in sports my entire life. Around high school I was first introduced into the sport of bodybuilding as my mom started to train for competitions. As a wrestling team captain and cross country team captain, the lifting and training methods caught my interest. Towards the end of my senior year my mom stopped competing and began judging for the NASF (an all-natural sanction in the Southeast). Being that summer was approaching quickly and I was already done with sports, I began to work competitions.

After helping to set up and expedite for numerous competitions, I realized that I actually had a big chance at winning if I stepped on stage. Well my freshman year of college, I began wrestling Division I at Delaware State University. Being that I was out of state, I had lost all contact with bodybuilding and fitness stuff. Although my major was Physical Education, I hadn't even been near a competition in awhile.

As the year was passing, I began to lose all interest in wrestling. As many may have heard, Delaware State had this huge issue with the wrestling program. I was part of the problem. I was recruited in as a 125lber, but I was cutting way too much weight and I began to cough up blood and go days without sleep trying to make weight. I couldn't even make 133. After much public humiliation, and many teammates quitting, and a lot of unfair treatment, I finally quit.

The next year I moved back home. Unfortunately things were not too much better back at home. My mother had moved to another city so I was completely new to the area once again. My older brother was having some serious issues himself and eventually he moved out. My stepdad was causing all sorts of stess on the family as well due to the fact that he didn't want to pay any child support toward the family. And around this same time, my mom was blackballed and put on leave without pay for reporting a co-worker (fellow probation officer) for choking a child.

During this time, my family was depending on my income for 3 months straight until my mom could find another job. Not too long after this I began to have serious car problems (ranging from a light exploding for an unknown reason, the car burning fuel for unknown reasons, to the coolant tank busting, to a pipe busting, to hitting a deer, and so on). During this period of time, I was asked to help out at another show. At that show one of the judges saw me with my shirt off. To my surprise, two weeks before the upcoming National show, my mom tells me that some officials paid my entry and I was going to be competing. As a rookie, I got 2nd in the Young Men's class for the 2007 NASF Nationals.

The very next year, I decide that I'm just going to lift, focus on schooling, and work. I tried transferring so I could wrestle again, but I guess that's not what God had in store for me, because nothing was working in my favor there. As drama continued on in my life, I decided I'd try out another bodybuilding show. I went to the 2008 NASF ODU Open. To my surprise I won the Young Men's Class, the Men's Novice, Men's Novice Overall, and I got 2nd in the Men's Open Medium Class. After a few months of training I later entered 2 more shows in November. The final result, I won the NASF American Challenge Nationals Young Men's Class, Young Men's Overall, and won 3rd in the Men's Open Medium Class. The very next weekend, I won the OCB Yorton Cup Nationals Junior Class as well as winning 4th in the Men's Open Short Division. Shortly after these achievements, I won bodybuilding.com Amatuer of the Week (my week is about to come up).

A few months prior to the national shows, a pipe busted in the kitchen of my families house flooding the entire main floor as well as the basement. We had some problems with the insurance as well as contractors trying to take advantage of my mom being that she's a single mother taking care of four boys. So, we didn't even get to spend Christmas in our house, and it's still being fixed to this day. With pay cuts and so forth, my finances, as well as the rest of my families finances are very tight.

On the other hand, I've worked with a few photographers, and I'm new to modeling. Some competitors told me that I should try out some FAME shows so I decided to look into it. I was suggested to created a bodypoud, so I made my account. I feel very welcomed and I want to share the same love back to the FAME community on stage as everyone did towards me when I joined. I was planning on competing in the FAME Northeastern Show, The FAME World Show, and the FAME North American Show if possible.

Personally I have a goal to go out on stage and have fun no matter what. All I can do is my best and hope it's enough to win it all! I do feel as if God has blessed me with a gift, and I want to use that gift for His glory. I have 2% bodyfat according to a Polar Fitness Exam (a mandatory test for the gym in my area) and currently weigh around 155. I'm hoping to bulk up slightly more and maybe win a pro card all natural either this year or next year. I thought FAME would be a great way to network and meet new people with similar interest as myself.

I have no trainer, no dietician, or anything like that. I've been doing everything through trial and error, prayer, and some advice through other competitors. When I'm not lifting, I'm working as a Rec Leader for a Before and After School program as well as assisting in teaching pre-schoolers and PE. I love children, I love staying fit and healthy, and I'm hoping to inspire others to live healthy as I continue my journey in the field of bodybuilding and modeling!

Please consider my request as a possible recipient of this Athlete Fund.

Andre Bland
www.myspace.com/lilheavyweight
DOG4U@msn.com

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Permalink Reply by Andre M Bland on January 21, 2009 at 8:59pm: those three photos are credits of North American Bodies photography...U may have to click on them for them to show, because they don't seem to be appearing.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by FAME World Tour on January 26, 2009 at 1:48am: We'd like to thank the following athletes who contributed to the I Am Body Proud Athlete fund this week:

Sheena Hales
Sheena M McLennan
Karen McNeil; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by FAME World Tour on January 30, 2009 at 11:41am: We'd Like to thank Amanda Jarvis and Marcela Tribin for their generous contributions to the I Am Body Proud fund this week :); ▶ Reply to This