The Give901/Choose901 Alumni Relay - “Passing the Baton”
By Brian McCurry
As a “sports kid” growing up in the 1980’s, the Summer Olympics were must-see TV for me! Every four years, I would carve out time to watch my favorite sports.
I remember watching MJ, Magic and Bird dominate men’s basketball on the original “Dream Team.” (I also collected all of the McDonald’s commemorative cups. Ha!)
I can also recall Mary Lou Retton win gold in women’s gymnastics. (I may or may not have had a crush on her at that time.)
And I also remember Carl Lewis dominating men’s track competitions. (He won 9 gold medals during his career.)
Fast forward to today and I still enjoy watching the Summer Olympics. This past year we had Katie Ledecky become the most decorated American woman in Olympic history, Simone Biles win her 11th all time medal and Steph Curry lead team USA to a gold medal (TBH… This was the only time I’ve ever pulled for Steph Curry, and it was bittersweet. Go Grizz!).
In 2024, the U.S. women’s track team also won gold medals over their rivals, Canada.
Passing the Baton: A Crucial Transition
In a relay race, passing the baton is crucial to a team’s success.
No matter how fast the individual runners may be, passing the baton occurs at a critical transition point between the four runners. Smooth handoffs are essential to maintain optimum speed and avoid losing valuable time. If there is a dropped baton or a poor exchange, that will certainly hinder the team's performance and potentially cost them the race. Thus, passing of the baton between teammates makes it the most important aspect of a relay race.
Memphis’ Own Relay: Investing in Future Leaders
In the same way, Memphis is making a handoff right now!
We are passing the baton from our current community leadership to the next generations of leaders. Who are the runners in this race? Our Give901 members (those who generously offer one hour of time and one hour of pay monthly to create a greater Memphis) are passing the baton of leadership to our Choose901 Alumni (future and recent high school graduates who are progressing through secondary education programs, finding careers and choosing to live life in the 901). This handoff is crucial!
The Exchange: Where Connections Become Opportunities
One of the ways we facilitate this crucial handoff is through our Exchange events. We recently hosted our first Exchange of 2025 at the Junior League of Memphis. The space was offered by the Junior League and the event was sponsored by Silicon Ranch. These two Memphis organizations are deeply committed to our Alumni’s success. (Thank you Junior League and Silicon Ranch!)
At the Exchange, Give901 members and local professionals “exchange” relationships, networks, job opportunities/needs and unite together as one team for the night. These two groups mix and mingle, build relationships and work together to strive for a greater Memphis. This happens on one night, but the dream is for these relationships to mutually flourish in the years to come.
Building a Stronger Memphis, One Handoff at a Time
Just as in an Olympic relay race, passing the baton from Give901 members to Choose901 Alumni is critical for “Team Memphis’” success in the years and decades to come. If this leadership baton is passed well, we will see a new generation of young Memphians take their rightful place as Memphis leaders. If we drop the baton, we will have missed an incredible opportunity to benefit our city and thousands and thousands of lives. We know today that we will have 5,000 Choose901 Alumni served by our program by the year 2030. We need 5,000 generous Memphians to join the race to team up with these stellar youth and young adults.
Join the Race: Be Part of Memphis’ Winning Team
We are at a critical transition point for Memphis. You carry the baton now! Will you join the team and pass the baton? The 901 will be the winner of this race when this happens!
