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Who do you think the Champion of the Month should be? Take a look at the two stories below and cast your vote!

Story 1

Shoe shiner donates $200K in tips to children in need

Albert Lexie has been shining shoes at Children's Hospital for 32 years

PITTSBURGH —It starts before dawn in the Pittsburgh darkness, as the 88 Penn pulls up in front of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and Albert Lexie gets off the bus.
For 32 years, Albert Lexie has been examining his schedule each morning, like a doctor on the clock. But the longtime shoe shiner’s gift isn’t healing, it’s giving back.
For 32 years, Albert Lexie has been examining his schedule each morning, like a doctor on the clock. But the longtime shoe shiner's gift isn't healing -- it's giving back. He gives every cent of his tips back to the Free Care Fund for sick children who can't afford medical costs.
For 32 years, Lexie has been examining his schedule each morning, like a doctor on the clock. But the longtime shoe shiner’s gift isn’t healing, it’s giving back.

A shoe shine costs $5, but Lexie said customers have been generous with their tips since he started working at the hospital in 1981.
“Most of them give $6, some of them give $7,” Lexie told Channel 4 Action News anchor Wendy Bell.
And Lexie gives every cent of his tips back to the children.
“I think he does it because he loves the kids,” said Dr. Joseph Carcillo. “He's donated over a third of his lifetime salary to the Children’s Hospital Free Care Fund.”
The money goes to parents of sick children who can’t afford to pay medical costs.
“He's a philanthropist, is what he is,” said Carcillo. “He's an entrepreneur.”
Lexie has donated $200,000 to the cause, bringing in several hundred dollars a week.
“I had a doctor who gave me a $50 bill for Christmas,” he told Bell with a laugh. For a simple man who’s been shining shoes since about 1957, Lexie admits, “It’s good to be a hero.”

CHARITY – BRENNER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL http://www.brennerchildrens.org/Patients-and-Families/

Story 2

Dover-Foxcroft boy wants donations to animal shelter, not presents for birthday

Courtesy of Barbara Estabrook Sherman

Owen Sherman hugs his dog, Eli. Owen, who turned 7 years old on Monday, will donate the money he received for his birthday to the Connecticut Underhound Railroad, where he received his dog from.

Owen Sherman of Dover-Foxcroft drew a picture of his dog Eli to encourage friends and family to donate money to the animal shelter where he received his dog instead of giving birthday presents.
DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine — A young boy who has a dog with an unusual number of legs made an unusual birthday request.
Owen Sherman, who turned 7 years old Monday, asked friends and family to not give him gifts for his birthday. Instead, he asked them to donate the money they would have spent on him to the animal shelter that provided him with his dog Eli.
Owen, a first-grader at SeDoMoCha Elementary School in Dover-Foxcroft, has bilateral fibular hemimelia — a congenital absence of the fibula bones in both legs. His legs were amputated below the knees when he was 8 months old. He now wears prosthetic legs, which he was walking on as early as 13 months old, according to his mother Barbara Estabrook Sherman.
After the family dog, Sparky, died last year, Owen and his father, Shane Sherman, went looking for a new dog.
“My husband and he went behind my back and searched over the Internet and found Eli,” said Sherman. “[Owen] fell in love with Eli sight unseen.”
Sherman said Eli, a boxer-lab mix, had to have one of its hind legs amputated.
“We believe he had been abused and somehow an infection set in,” she said. “He was given up and he had to have that leg amputated.”
Underhound Railroad Rescue, which provides foster homes for dogs through a series of volunteers until a permanent home is found, transported Eli from Georgia to Maine. The organization paid for Eli’s medical care and amputation. Volunteers coordinate through the organization’s Facebook page, said Sherman.
“They’re like any other boy and dog. They love each other,” said Sherman. “He even has a song called ‘Eli is a good dog.’ He sings it to him all the time. His dog is his best friend. They’re unstoppable together.”
Sherman said her son told her he had received a bunch of gifts for Christmas and couldn’t think of anything he wanted for his birthday. Inspired by his new best friend, Owen asked friends and family to donate to the animal shelter instead.
“I was just so proud of him,” said Sherman. “I said, ‘Owen, that’s really nice. Daddy and I are so proud of you.’”
So far, $120 has been collected for the Underhound Railroad Rescue based in Connecticut.
Owen drew a picture of Eli to illustrate what he wanted for his birthday instead of presents.
“I love Eli so much, I knew I had to do something for the Underhound Railroad,” said Owen Sherman.
An email sent to a representative for Underhound Railroad Rescue was not immediately returned Monday afternoon.
Owen’s charitable ways were likely influenced by his grandfather, Amasa “Stubby” Sherman, said Barbara Estabrook Sherman.
Though Owen’s birthday was Monday, his family celebrated it Saturday. But, it turned out to be a somber occasion.
Stubby Sherman, 75, died on Saturday. He was a Shriner and led fundraising efforts for children’s hospitals. Barbara Estabrook Sherman said she was proud of her son to be able to carry on his grandfather’s tradition.
Owen’s surgery had taken place at the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Springfield, Mass.
“They started seeing my son before he was born,” she said. “We were so well prepared. They did an amazing job.”
Stubby Sherman’s fundraising efforts ended up benefitting his family, said Barbara Estabrook Sherman.
“I can’t stress enough the influence his grandfather Stubby was,” she said. “Over all those years he raised money for the Shriners, never thinking his grandson would be the person who’d really need it.”
Barbara Estabrook Sherman said she will be writing a check for the Underhound Railroad Rescue soon.

CHARITY – Animal Rescue and Foster Program -- http://www.arfpnc.com/

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