Alumnus Tim Halperin is one of the 21 finalists nominated for the 2012 One Man Dallas award for his work with Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
According to the event’s website, One Man Dallas is an event created to encourage and recognize men in the Dallas-Fort Worth area who have been involved in philanthropic causes.
Halperin said he was first involved with Komen in 2010, when his friend Ann Louden asked him to write a song for the breast cancer initiative at the university.
Louden, a breast cancer survivor and chair of Frogs for the Cure, said she wanted to make a dance video with members of the university community showing their support toward the cause.
In response to her request, Halperin said he wrote the song “We Fight Back.” With more than 50,000 views for its video on YouTube between the version on the Frogs for the Cure page and the version on Halperin’s official account, the song has been embraced as Komen’s anthem.
Although initially motivated to help a friend, Halperin said his motivation has since changed.
“As I have been involved with Komen over the past two years and I have gotten to interact with these survivors and these people who are so passionate — and not only passionate about the cause, but these are women and men who are in the middle of their battle with breast cancer,” he said. “Interacting with them definitely has changed my motivation.”
For his work with Komen, Louden said she nominated Halperin for the One Man Dallas award this year.
Meeting the youngest age requirement of 24 to be eligible for the award, Halperin will be judged on four categories: his community service project, his interaction at a “Meet the Men” happy hour event, his application and his personal interview with a panel of community leaders, according to the One Man Dallas website.
Louden said that as part of the finalists’ community service projects, the men have to identify a project within their philanthropy and engage men in it.
Instead of organizing one event, Louden and Halperin decided to organize two.
“We thought overkill is always a good thing when we are trying to win a contest,” Louden said.
Halperin said he ran in and performed at a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at Ridgmar Mall on April 14. The second event will be May 5 at the Frogs for the Cure Mother’s Day baseball game at Lupton Stadium.
Louden said she believed Halperin was a great candidate for the award and said winning the award would reflect well on the university, as well.
“If he wins the One Man Dallas award, that’s really big,” she said. “Big for TCU — it’s really big for Fort Worth to have a winner for One Man Dallas, and it’s also great for Komen.”
Louden’s support for Halperin’s work was shared by others too.
Chancellor Victor Boschini said he felt Halperin was deserving of the honor.
“I think he is very deserving of [the award] because Tim did it out of his heart, which is the most important reason,” Boschini said.
Katie Norry, video editor for Frogs for the Cure and Halperin’s friend, said it was great to see Halperin being recognized not just for his music, but also for his charity work.
“Tim is incredibly motivated. It’s really cool to see somebody my age or only a couple of years older really giving back to a cause,” Norry said.
For Halperin, he said the nomination was simply another way to bring attention to the cause.
“I was very humbled by the nomination, and I think the coolest part of it was getting other young men involved with volunteering for charities in this area,” Halperin said. “So I was honored, and I’m excited of being a part of raising awareness.”
According to the event’s website, the winner of the One Man Dallas award will be announced May 10 at the Aloft Dallas Downtown Hotel, and Amy Vanderoef of “Good Morning Texas” will host the event.
The winner will receive a $2,500 Stanley Korshak Gift Card and $2,500 for his charity. All finalists receive a weekend stay at the Aloft Dallas Downtown Hotel and a complimentary Boardroom Salon custom cut, according to the One Man Dallas website.
