What is "service"? At its simplest, it means "a helpful act." But the essence of true service goes much deeper—it reflects a lifelong dedication and commitment to uplifting others, helping them achieve a better life and reach higher standards. Genuine service requires prioritizing the well-being of others above all else.

For nearly 30 years, Valerie and Joseph McAfee have embodied this spirit of service -- along with the McAfee family and the dedicated body of parents and volunteers-- the driving force and co-creators of the HD-OG Rams Football & Cheer Program, a 501(c)3 organization. Based in Victorville, California, the program has positively impacted the lives of youth across the High Desert, serving children ages 6 to 14 through sports and community engagement.

Coming from South Central Los Angeles, California, Valerie and Joseph experienced a deterioration of young people running the streets, risking and losing their lives to senseless violence; many occurrences hitting very close to home. For youth girls at-risk in the ‘hood, there has always been an additional worry and fear for their survival. As they relocated to the High Desert thirty years ago, the zeal and the passion for young folks to 'play' for the bigger victory of a thriving, successful life was apparent from the program’s first year in 1995 as the then High Desert Jets.