Have you ever felt an overwhelming desire to help people you barely even knew? Cathy Parker has, and she’s sharing her inspirational story of offering aid to people 4,000 miles away from here in the new book, “Northern Lights”.

Based on a true story and with the help of writer David Thomas, Parker’s story comes to life. Parker was sitting at her home in Florida one Sunday morning watching an ESPN feature on the Barrow Whalers, the only high school football team above the Arctic Circle. Parker was a football mom herself, and married to a football coach.

Watching the story, Parker felt compelled to do something. This small football team was made up of mostly Inupiat Eskimo natives that had turned to football in a desperate attempt to escape the pit-falls of their community. Their city was full of drug use, depression, and skyrocketing dropout rates. They found hope on their playing field, but their field was gravel lined with flour due to the Alaskan permafrost.

Parker saw the potential in the small football team and set out to help them. Despite obstacle after obstacle she faced, Parker did not give up and was able to raise over half a million dollars to build an artificial-turf stadium for the Barrow Whalers.

“Northern Lights” reminds us that sometimes we are called to unlikely, and sometimes far-away, causes. However our talents can be utilized to help people across the globe. When we believe in something bigger than ourselves, we can change our own lives and the lives of others for the better.

You can purchase “Northern Lights” when it comes out on June 24th.