Within the last 15 years, Todd Yelton has built Samford’s women’s soccer system into one of the better within the Southeast.
Under their leadership, the Bulldogs are perennial abilities within the Southern Conference and have now played in four NCAA Tournaments.
In nation a long way away, Yelton is assisting to build one thing much more crucial than championships. He could be hope that is building girls whom otherwise might possibly not have any.
Yelton leads an attempt to construct a transitional orphans’ house for older teenager girls within the Eastern European country of Ukraine.
The requirement is genuine.
Whenever a Ukrainian orphan ages away from an orphanage at age 18, there clearly was a 70 per cent to 80 % possibility that she or he will experience criminal activity, prostitution, committing suicide or drug overdose within couple of years, based on Lifesong for Orphans, a global company aimed at building transitional houses that is employed in combination with Yelton’s charity.
Yelton called their group Shauna’s home after their wife that is late died from cancer tumors in 2015.
“All for this started as a desire for Shauna years back, ” Yelton said. About it– she found a method to help. “If she saw an easy method she may help people, she ended up beingn’t the type who sat around and chatted”
Shauna Yelton went along to Ukraine followed closely by her good friend Marty Dunn, the spouse of Samford baseball mentor Casey Dunn. From then on check out, 1st glimmer of passion expanded into a reason. Throughout the years, she visited the Ukraine on at the very least a dozen that is half, using the services of Lifesong to share with you the Gospel of Jesus Christ and discover safe change housing for females who possess aged away from Ukrainian orphanages.
After a few trips to your Eastern European republic, Shauna Yelton persuaded her husband to participate her. Yelton said the experience had been life-changing.
“The easiest way to explain it is ‘humbling, ’” Yelton explained. “It made me understand exactly how much we ignore in this nation. In spot like the Ukraine, having a T-shirt can be viewed as a luxury up to a kid. ”
Even with being identified as having cervical cancer tumors, Shauna Yelton proceeded to check out Ukraine until her failing wellness caused it to be impossible to do this. She passed away Nov. 4, 2015.
A city of about 200,000 people in northern Ukraine after her passing, Yelton decided to start the charity – with an initial goal of building a transitional home for young women in Chernigov.
“Anyone whom knew any such thing about Shauna knew that she was passionate in regards to the Ukranian orphans, ” Yelton stated. “A change house could be a location to allow them to have start that is great their everyday everyday lives. ”
Yelton said their belated wife is satisfied with the charity, with the exception of one information.
“Shauna never wanted any attention become taken to by by by herself malaysian cupid, therefore she might have been furious that we known as (the charity) Shauna’s home, ” Yelton stated. “But I desired to take action in order to honor her. ”
About $93,000 had been needed to build your home, that may house as much as 16 women that are young.
“I’m a soccer mentor, maybe maybe not just a fundraiser, ” said Yelton. “But it absolutely was unbelievable what sort of Samford University family members therefore the community in particular came together to honor Shauna which help women who reside large number of kilometers away. ”
In October, Samford played good results game against Western Carolina that raised significantly more than $16,000 for Shauna’s home.
“It ended up being overwhelming, ” Yelton said. “i might have already been delighted if we’d raised $2,000. I became therefore moved the real method individuals supported Shauna’s home and supported us. ”
By the end of 2016, a lot more than $67,000 was indeed raised for the main cause.
Another fundraiser that is big in February whenever Samford’s popular Step-Sing competition decided on Shauna’s home as the philanthropy and raised significantly more than $14,000.
Shauna’s home is anticipated to be finished by this autumn.
Yelton said he planned to again visit Ukraine quickly, together with his child, MacKenzie, students at Auburn University and son, Colin, whom attends Homewood senior school. The mentor stated a goal that is future of House would be to build a change home for Ukrainian males.
“I can’t think about an easy method to honor Shauna’s memory rather than provide those who work in need, ” Yelton said. “God has endowed us richly and also this community happens to be wonderful. ”
Todd Yelton has made an outstanding effect on the game of soccer in Alabama, nevertheless the impact of Shauna’s home is certainly going far beyond.
