SEATTLE SEAHAWK AND NORFOLK NATIVE, KAMERON CHANCELLOR STRIVES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE…….

#31 Kam Chancellor 

The kids that arrived at James Monroe Elementary in Norfolk, VA  were surprised  yesterday morning.  They arrived at the school expecting a regular bicycle safety seminar.  What they didn’t know was that local NFL athlete Kameron Chancellor would be there to greet them.  

The Park Place Bike Safety Seminar was hosted by none other than Norfolk native, Kameron Chancellor, the Defensive Back of the Seattle Seahawks.

Kam at Park Pl. Bike Seminar

Chancellor is a former Virginia Tech and Maury High School athlete who chose to host this seminar in partnership with the Park Place Community Officers, as an effort to promote a healthy and active lifestyle as well as give back to the community that he grew up in. This event that targeted children ages 6 – 14 years old consisted of a bicycle safety demonstration, Norfolk bike registration opportunity with the Norfolk Police Department and several bike and helmet giveaways.

Some of the many bikes that were given away

We had an opportunity to speak to Kameron about his reasons for wanting to give back, why here and who has made a positive impact on his life.

DM: Why did you want to host this bike seminar today?

Kameron:  I wanted to show my community here at Park Place that I didn’t forget about them and that they still have a role model in me. I am not going anywhere and I will continue to give back.  

DM:  We are aware you will be starting a non-profit organization within the next year.  Who will it cater to?

Kameron:  The organization will cater to the inner-city youth of Hampton Roads, Virginia.   I want to provide them with a window of opportunity to make it just as I have.  I want to spread my blessings and give back to them.  I will put on events to bring the community together. This was something that we couldn’t do in Park Place when I was younger due to all the violence.  I am working on trying to make a better situation for everybody.

  

DM:  Is it your goal for your organization to become national?

Kameron:  Right now I am just thinking locally.  My goal is to give back to where I am from first. As my organization begins to expand I definitely want it to become national, eventually spreading through the east coast and then moving across the country.

 DM: Who made a difference in your life?

Kameron:  It was a few people that made a difference in my life.  One major person was Kumasi Johnson.  He was my barber when I was growing up and a friend of the family.   I didn’t have a father in my household and he was a father figure in my life.  He took me fishing and did things with me that fathers do.   He gave me my first job at the barbershop sweeping up hair.  He always kept me on the right path. Always told me to stay off the streets, stay away from certain things, certain people, don’t do drugs, just the basic things you need to hear as a child.  He’s always been there for me anytime I needed him he was always one call away.

At the young age of 23 years old Kameron Chancellor has realized that the feeling of paying it forward is priceless!

Differences Magazine will continue to follow Kameron’s success on and off of the football field.

Kameron Chancellor (23 yrs old, 6’3”, 232 lbs) is a DB for the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle selected Chancellor in the 5^th round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Prior to being drafted, Chancellor starred as a scholarship athlete at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. Born and raised in Norfolk, VA, Chancellor attended Maury High School where he was known as a two-sport athlete. In his senior year, he led the football team to the Group AAA Division 5 playoffs and garnered the Most Valuable Player, All Eastern District First team, and The Virginian-Pilot All-Tidewater Second team honors