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Christina Whidden Memorial

By Ernest Hooper - Times Staff Writer

In a Panera Bread store in Carrollwood, T.J. Lewis talked to William Joseph about what he could expect.

At the same time just a few miles away, Ollie Hoyte helped coach participants at the Mike Alstott Football Camp, including a young teen from Dallas.

The link between the two? All Sports Community Service and founder Tyrone Keys.

Keys is a Johnny Appleseed of community service in Tampa. He helps aspiring high school students gain entry into college. In return, they agree to do volunteer service.

The process plants the idea of community care, and Keys now has a number of former students working with him to help the next generation. Students like Lewis and Hoyte.

Today, Lewis, 33, is a successful banker in Columbia, Md. Hoyte is a professional football player. The two could have been anywhere else Saturday, but they chose instead to follow the example Keys has set since 1993.

Hoyte, 23, likes to spend down time playing pickup basketball. At a YMCA in suburban Dallas, he befriended a young teen named Christopher Bates between games. They played against each other for a period of weeks before Christopher asked, "What do you do?"

A humble man who likes to keep to himself, Hoyte had not revealed he was the starting fullback for the Dallas Cowboys.

"I talked to his mom and found out that Christopher never met his father," Hoyte said. "He could walk by him on the street on any given day and not know who he is."

Touched by the story, Hoyte now mentors Christopher, just as people like Keys and Chamberlain High football coach Billy Turner served as his mentors. Although he signed as a free agent with Kansas City in the offseason, Hoyte maintains his friendship with Christopher and paid for him to come to the Alstott camp, where he once volunteered as a teen.

"It was just the right thing to do," said Hoyte, who wants to coach after his NFL career.

Lewis works for Bank of America as a supplier development relationship manager. It's a long title for what Lewis calls one of the best jobs at the bank. He helps create opportunities for suppliers and small businesses to get clients such as Bank of America.

Lewis also serves on the Queens College board after earning a basketball scholarship to the Charlotte, N.C., school — with Keys' help.

Lewis never lost sight of the assistance he received from Keys coming out of Gaither High. He has committed his time to a number of nonprofit efforts over the years, and now funds a scholarship through All Sports.

"Three or four years ago, Tyrone and I started talking about taking things to the next level," said Lewis, one of 15 former all-sports students who came back to help the next generation.

"Now we've established a scholarship. It's a starting point of giving back and making sure they have the same opportunities I have."

Joseph is the inaugural recipient. But he's receiving more than money.

"He's a good mentor," said Joseph, who will play cornerback at Wingate College outside of Charlotte. "He said I could call him any time."

Lewis and Hoyte will continue to find ways to give back, and I bet someday Joseph will join them.

That's all I'm saying.