Financial Investigator

Drug Enforcement Administration

Worcester, MA

When the COVID-19 pandemic shook the U.S., I took instances of individual hardship to heart. I became acquainted with Stacy, a single mother working three part-time waitressing jobs who was having difficulty getting her unemployment payment approved. I reached out to my teammates on the Wayland WahooTee, a Men’s Over 56 soccer team in the New England Over-the-Hill-Soccer League, the largest adult men’s league in the world.

My teammates and I managed to raise more than $2,500 for Stacy, who had always cheerfully provided refreshing beverages to the team at Dudley Chateau in Wayland, MA after our Sunday matches. Our success jump-started an idea to contribute to the community through service, personal assistance, relationships, education, and scholarships.

As a result, five of my teammates and I founded Wahoo Boots on the Ground, a 501(c)(3) charity. Wahoo Boots has actively participated in delivering groceries on weekends. As students returned to school in September 2020, we secured sponsorship from STAPLES, which generously provided discounted back-to-school kits that we delivered to underprivileged students in Framingham, MA.

As the vice president for Wahoo Boots, I am working with fellow members to establish a scholarship to reward volunteerism for college-bound high school students, as well as a mentoring program with local school systems. Our first scholarship program will be a partnership with Wayland High School and Wayland Soccer.

To learn more about Wahoo Boots, visit https://www.wahooboots.org.