ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA - Ellen Bishop of Allentown, Pennsylvania, has been named the winner of the 2010 "Heroes Among Us" contest.
Bishop receives a prize package for two to attend the prestigious WTA Championships - Doha 2010, including tickets to the final, roundtrip airline tickets, accommodation, transportation and behind-the-scenes access at the tournament.
"I was surprised and deeply honored to be nominated and named a finalist for this award," Bishop said. "I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support in the voting. What I do is not very flashy - helping high school girls learn to play tennis, giving them the opportunity to be part of a team, assisting in tennis programs for urban youth, helping 8-10 year-old girls develop fitness and confidence to complete a 5k run and mentoring adult women to also complete a 5k. The reward of seeing participants improve and succeed has always been and will continue to be extremely gratifying. It means a lot to have these activities recognized and honored. I'm very excited to be going to Doha to see the women's final in person."
Fan voting for the award recipient among four finalists was held from October 1 through October 8, with the finalists having been selected based on their leadership and commitment to serving as role models and mentors to young women in their communities.
"The WTA is very proud to honor Ellen Bishop, whose commitment to bettering the lives of children in her community is deserving of recognition," said Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of the WTA. "The stars of the WTA are incredible role models to millions of fans around the world, and individual role models like Ellen are a proud reminder to all that each and every one of us can make a difference to better society."
About The Contest Finalists
• Ellen Bishop teaches Pennsylvania inner-city students tennis and mentors female runners in the Allentown area.
• Bunny Brunning sets up inner-city youth tennis programs in Iowa and is an inspiration to young women in the tennis industry.
• Laurie Moore is a dedicated mother and tutors special needs children in Florida.
• John Pirtel organizes tennis lessons and after-school programs in inner-city New Haven, Connecticut.
The "Heroes Among Us" program celebrates the WTA's legacy in promoting gender equality for more than three decades. As the world's leading professional sport for women with more than 2,200 players representing 99 nations competing in 53 tournaments and four Grand Slams in 33 countries, the WTA has not only provided the opportunity for women to excel at the highest level of sport, but inspired millions of girls worldwide who follow their dreams. Since 2006, the WTA has partnered with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to further gender equality and promote women's leadership in all spheres of society.
Venus Williams, along with fellow WTA players Vera Zvonareva, Tatiana Golovin and Zheng Jie, and WTA Founder and tennis legend Billie Jean King, serve as UNESCO Promoters of Gender Equality to help raise awareness about issues of importance to women worldwide, and to create leadership opportunities for women through the funding of programs in Cameroon, Liberia, Dominican Republic, China, Jordan and the United States.
