A young man named Michael Gilmore should be planning to celebrate the holidays with his family in Helena West Helena, AR this week. Instead, the 24 year old's image will be a part of the 2012 Rose Parade's "Donate Life Float" as it rolls through Pasadena, CA on January 2, 2012.

The Mid-Southerner is one of 72 people whose portraits will be featured on the float, honoring those who donated vital organs, tissue or eyes so that countless others might have life.

The young man was full of promise, a 2004 honors graduate of West Helena High School where he had played football, ran track and participated in the JROTC. After high school,  Michael enrolled at Phillips Community College where he earned his Associates Degree and began dreaming of a career.

If you've entered the gymnasium on the East Memphis campus of St. Agnes Academy and St. Dominic School, you have walked into the world where James W. Mathis has devoted nearly all of his working life.

Mathis, 77, has served as a coach on the staff of the private Catholic schools located on Walnut Grove Road at Mendenhall since 1962.

"Some of his original players came to drink coffee with him at Panera Bread at Laurelwood this week and I felt like I was in the presence of a rock star," said Jay Mathis, the coach's son who followed in his father's footsteps.

"Six week ago, Coach Mathis was bench pressing 260 pounds, " said Jim Lassandrello, Athletic Director of St. Agnes-St. Dominic, "but now he's in a wheelchair. It's shaken all of us."  

Media Release provided by Leadership Memphis

When Leadership Memphis holds its annual holiday party Tuesday, Dec. 6, at the Pink Palace Museum, alumni and guests will do more than just celebrate the season.

In the spirit of Leadership Memphis’ mission to empower people to make a difference, the annual gala will double as a food-raising drive to help stock the Memphis Food Bank for the Christmas season.

“As the city’s oldest and most recognized leadership organization, this is a perfect opportunity to remind everyone that leadership also comes in the form of helping others,’’ said David Williams,  president of Leadership Memphis.