Author(s): Cathy Parker; David Thomas (As told to)

Biography

An inspirational true story of the power of football to build bridges between cultures and transform communities, It was a typical Sunday morning, complete with blueberry muffins and a little TV before church. Football mom and coach's wife Cathy Parker had no idea her life was about to change-not to mention the lives of those in her family, in her community outside Jacksonville, Florida, and in the town of Barrow, Alaska, almost four thousand miles away. The catalyst for that change was an ESPN feature on the Barrow Whalers, the only high school football program above the Arctic Circle. Made up mostly of Inupiat Eskimo natives, the Whalers played on a gravel field lined with flour because of the Alaskan permafrost. The young men of Barrow had turned to football in a desperate search for hope, despite community drug use, depression, and dropout rates skyrocketing to all-time highs. But hope and support for the team were fading. Watching the story, Cathy felt a stirring in her soul to do something-a calling to reach out and help. Her commitment to follow that calling despite obstacle after obstacle led to a nationwide movement that raised more than half a million dollars to build an artificial-turf stadium for the Barrow Whalers. It also brought both football teams together in surprising (and sometimes hilarious) ways. Ultimately, Northern Lights is a beautiful reminder of how we're sometimes called to the most unlikely of causes-and how, when we believe in something bigger than ourselves, we can change our own lives and the lives of others for the better. Book jacket.