About Every Kid Counts - The Lion & The Legend
Every Kid Counts – The Lion and the Legend (EKC) is a non-profit 501(c) public charity, dedicated to serving children. Our focus is on Cradling and Empowering children in need. Our excellence is in acquiring the financial, material and social resources to facilitate assistance to children with Medical and Personal Hardship.
In bringing together the Best Minds and Best Talents in the Health Care, Corporate and Civic environment we seek to ensure societies focus never overlooks the needs of its most vulnerable.
The concept for EKC was borne from the collaboration of Robert Perelka and Lawrence ‘Larry’ Gerrans during their respective participation in youth outreach programs as members of a collegiate football team and as Founding Presidents of their Collegiate Student Athlete Council. Robert Perelka thereafter dedicated his life to service and EKC was founded by Robert Perelka, Gordon & Kay Le Blanc, Jr., Michael Gibson, Sherdick Bonner and Calvin Schexnayder on March 24, 1994. Along with the founders, Every Kid Counts was made possible by the dedication from many individual business and community leaders, through their ideas and support.
Lawrence Gerrans endeavored to serve in a career in the surgical device industry, where every day helping surgical patients was a good deed. Lawrence ventured into his career with his life-long friend, Leo Hartford. Oftentimes, both Leo and Larry found themselves in surgical cases that involved children. As they grew up in business and into fatherhood they always pledged to become more active in Children’s causes. They both coached youth athletic teams and Leo served as a Vice President with the Special Olympics. Increasingly, they looked to collaborate with EKC to help the organization fulfill its mission.
Upon Leo’s untimely passing, at the youthful age of 41, Larry took inventory of his life’s mission and purpose and the still unfulfilled promises he and Leo made to collaborate on more meaningful endeavors. It is in the spirit of this commitment that Every Kid Counts – The Lion and The Legend emerged with a focus and purpose on advocacy and assistance to children with Medical and Personal Hardship.
Consistent with EKC’s Charter the charity is structured by two levels of leadership to provide the maximum amount of support and guidance to insure that the directive and mission of Every Kid Counts – The Lion and The Legend is carried out and preserved for future growth and success.
The Building Blocks of EKC
