Feb
1
Kentucky Basketball and Hoops for Haiti Nets $1.3 million
Filed Under Basketball, College Sports | Leave a Comment
Inspired by head coach John Calipari, the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team raised more than $1 million for Haiti earthquake relief. Through a campaign dubbed Hoops for Haiti, the team’s coach found a way to do something substantial to raise money for the relief efforts in the devastated country.
The charity event kicked off with an on-air telethon on Sunday Jan. 17, during which Kentucky basketball players helped to man the phone lines to collect pledges. That event raised $525,000 and Calipari announced the amount would then be matched by a group of supporters to make a donation to the Red Cross via United Way of the Bluegrass a total of $1.3 million. More funds poured in through an eBay auction, with such one-of-a-kind items as a dinner with the coach and Kentucky alum, actress Ashley Judd.
“I’ve been saying for months that Big Blue Nation is full of ‘crazies,’ ” Calipari said in a release. “But after Sunday’s outpouring of support, I can call everyone something else: compassionate and generous.” He then added the total was “beyond my wildest dreams.”
How you can get in the game:
Head directly to the American Red Cross site to make your donation
Oct
25
Cecil K. Watkins, president and CEO of National Pro-Am City Leagues Association, Inc., passed away October 10 after losing the battle with Pancreatic cancer. He was 76.
Mr. Watkins created ProAm in 1980 as a not-for-profit community service sports league. ProAm is widely recognized as a premier venue for youth and adults to acquire professional experience and employment in all aspects of sports administration. He also co-founded Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities, Inc., a human-service agency serving Corona, East Elmhurst, and Jamaica, Queens. In the past 36 years, it has secured more than 1,800 scholarships for student-athletes from the metropolitan area.
Mr. Watkins was respected nationwide for his knowledge and leadership in sports and community recreation. He received more than 100 awards, including the Basketball Congress International Commissioner of the Year Award, Boy Scouts of America Recognition Award, and Queensboro President Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a member of the Adelphi University Athletic Hall of Fame and New York City Basketball Hall of Fame. He earned his B.A. and M.A. in sports administration and management from Adelphi University and is survived by his wife Valerie and two children, Kara and Keri.
Mr. Watkins was well known for his contributions to community. I’m one of those he lent a helping hand to. He was someone who gave me one of my first jobs is sports. I was introduced to him through working with CUNY sports and he needed help with some ProAm publicity. Mr. Watkins simply told me what he needed and that was it. I worked for him off and on for a number of years. I’ll remember him for giving me the chance that others might not have. And I know he did the same for others.
There will be a memorial service held for Cecil Watkins on Nov. 1 at 3:00 in Adelphi University’s Center for Recreation & Sports. . Memorial contributions can be made to the Cecil K. and LeRoy J. Watkins National ProAm Foundation, 7001 Brush Hollow Road, Suite 214, Westbury, NY 11590.
Oct
1
Beyond the World Cup: Investment and Cultural Opportunities Between Africa and the U.S.
Filed Under Soccer | Leave a Comment
Last week I attended the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 39th Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. I spotted the “Beyond the World Cup” session, and immediately added it to my schedule, intrigued that the topic was important enough to be addressed by the Caucus.
I got an even better sense of the weight of the session when the Rev. Jesse Jackson entered the room and took a seat in the front row. International dignitaries from South Africa, France and Italy sat alongside him. And finally, when the moderator, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole gave her opening remarks, she informed the audience that this session was being webcast.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and Chair of the African Globalism Committee, opened the discussion explaining the committee’s mission – establish structured opportunities for joint business ventures and technological transfers, educational exchange, and cultural awareness between African Americans, Africans, and other Afro-descendant populations.
“Our goal is to make sure that the U.S. knows Africa matters.”
Myra Fitzgerald, a woman I spoke with before the session, was someone who saw first hand the South Africa of 10 years ago. Back then she worked with the Environmental Protection Agency, developing energy and climate change initiatives for the country.
The post-apartheid government of South Africa had the foresight to solicit global partnerships to address some of their biggest issues in energy, housing, education and healthcare.
“They were aggressive and quite honestly brilliant,” recalls Fitzgerald. “They were eager for advice from Europe, from Asia and from the U.S.”
Fast forward to 2009, and in less than 300 days, South Africa is poised to host the largest sporting event in the world. How they did it – by adopting economical models and building infrastructures with an eye on the future – makes it clear why a committee of U.S. congress members would make trade and investment with Africa one of its top priorities.
One of the panelists, Jerry Vilakazi, CEO of Business Unity South Africa, pointed out that investment in South Africa has led to progress in areas of telemedicine, distance education, IP and HDTV, and peer-to-peer networks.
The South Africa of today is one with cleaner air, improved rail systems and roads, high-tech electrical grids, lower unemployment rates and better healthcare and education. Tourism numbers continue to go up. Neighboring countries have contributed indirectly to South Africa’s progress by improving their transportation systems as well. And when I asked Vilakazi if he believed the companies that had invested in the country’s infrastructure would pull up their stakes when the footballers and their millions of fans left, he indicated no.
“That’s not going to happen,” he said. “These are companies that already have a large footprint there. And when they see the potential for more customers, they will spend money further. More than hope, we are confident the World Cup will showcase South Africa as an investment and trade destination, and a country to do business with in the future.”
After the session I chatted with some people in the audience from South Africa and got my first Diski lesson, the dance the country is asking all South Africans to learn and do to help promote the World Cup. (It seems a little like line-dancing to me, with some football kickish moves added, but maybe I need some more practice).
Hopefully the South Africa beyond the World Cup will be a country that has demonstrated viable sustainability models that can be readily copied by others. And we’ll say all the social responsibility initiatives, like those set forth by the Congressional Black Caucus, made a lasting difference.
Sep
28
Ravens Host Two Rings for O.J. Event
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The Baltimore Ravens will host the “Two Rings for O.J” event tomorrow night at M&T Bank Stadium. The fundraising event is being held in honor of O.J. Brigance, a former NFL player who spent 12 years in professional football and holds the distinction of being the only player to win Super Bowl (Ravens-2000 season) and Grey Cup (Stallions-1995) titles in the same city.
Brignace, who will celebrate his 40th birthday tomorrow, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in 2007. He founded Brigance Brigade, a registered 501(c) 3 charity, to raise awareness towards finding a cure against this debilitating illness better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. All the proceeds from the event will go directly to the charity.
As the director of player development with the Ravens, a position Brigance took on after retiring from the game in 2002, he urges rookies to earn degrees and guides veterans towards second careers. He’s even been honored by the NFL with four awards for his work, including Best Overall Player Development Program in 2005 and 2006.
Tickets can be purchased for the event, or for a special VIP reception, where you can dine with current Baltimore Ravens players or a former NFL great. The evening will also include silent and live auction items.
How you can get in the game:
Visit the Baltimore Community Foundation site for more information –
Sep
26
NFL Great Mike Haynes Advocates for Prostrate Cancer Screening
Filed Under Football | Leave a Comment
The American Urological Association (AUA), the AUA Foundation and NFL Hall of Famer Mike Haynes are saluting the Honorable Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD-7) for his outstanding efforts in raising public awareness and support for expanded research, training, and early detection and treatment of prostate cancer. A special presentation will be made during a reception at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 2009 Annual Legislative Conference. Representative Cummings has been a true champion for all those concerned with the disease, leading the charge to ensure that this major disparity in healthcare is addressed. The reception is on Friday, September 25, 2009 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, DC.
The reception will also feature special guest Michael Haynes, AUA Foundation Spokesperson and 1997 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee. NFL great Mike Haynes is one of the many men who have benefitted from early detection due to prostate cancer testing. Haynes is speaking out as part of a national campaign with the AUA Foundation, encouraging men to talk to their doctors. The campaign is designed to help raise awareness of the American Urological Association’s recently revised Best Practice Statement on Prostate-Specific Antigen, which recommends that men receive a baseline prostate-specific antigen test at age 40, and encourages men to talk with their doctors about prostate cancer.
“The AUA and AUA Foundation are honored to formally acknowledge Representative Cummings for his outstanding leadership in aggressively addressing the prostate cancer epidemic in the African American community and his commitment to fostering collaborations among patients, survivors, physicians, and researchers that will support the community in this fight,” said past AUA President Paul F. Schellhammer, MD.
Sep
23
New Len Bias Documentary Highlights Need for Drug Policy Reform
Filed Under Basketball | Leave a Comment
Earlier today I attended a film screening, and walked away with quite the lesson on this country’s existing drug laws. The documentary, Without Bias, was a recounting of the tragedy that befell University of Maryland basketball star, Len Bias. Yeah, I knew the story. Back in 1986 I was an editorial assistant at Sports Illustrated magazine, in the early stages of my budding sports writing career. All I thought then was what a shame. He was a good kid, and had had so much potential. But as the film’s subtitle suggests, The Legend You Know, The Story You Didn’t, there was more to learn about just how far-reaching Bias’ death was in terms of how our country has chosen to deal with drug use and abuse.
Here’s what I didn’t know:
Got crack? Just four months after Bias’ death, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 was passed in an effort to get tough on enforcement. The law came with an automatic sentence of five years in prison for getting caught with 5 grams of crack cocaine, roughly the weight of two sugar packets. But if someone was caught with powder cocaine, it would take 500 grams to land the same sentence.
Got consequences? What the laws triggered was a disproportionate number of arrests and imprisonments for African Americans. African Americans currently serve virtually as much time in prison for a drug offense (58.7 months) as whites do for violent offense (61.7 months). Since this has been going on for a period of 20 plus years, these drug laws have directed resulted in an increase in racially disparate incarcerations to the point of horrendous and unacceptable proportions.
Enter the National African American Drug Policy Coalition (NAADPC). They hosted the screening in part to inform people about what happened after the Len Bias tragedy. Headed by Judge Arthur Burnett, Sr. the organization’s mission is primarily to address the policies and practices related to substance abuse in the African American community. They have formed coalition committees around the country to help them reach their goals. And they are collecting national support for drug sentencing reform.
Since her son’s death, Dr. Lonise Bias, who was also at the screening, has been advocating for change in the drug policies, and emphasizing the need for more to be done for drug prevention and intervention. Burnett himself suggested the NAADPC would like to show the film to kids in schools to educate them about the dangers and consequences of even one-time drug use.
Said, Kirk Fraser, the director of the somber documentary, “This was an issue that in the course of making the film I realized had to be discussed, had to be dealt with. And I plan to work with the NAADPC on education initiatives and wherever they need me.”
Without Bias, an entry in ESPN’s “30 for 30” film series, will air on the network in November.
How you can get in the game:
Click here to contact the NAADPC
Or, contact your local politician to get them to fight for change
Sep
10
Steelers Remember, Honor 9/11 Victims and Raise Money for Memorial
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Tonight the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers kick off the new NFL season, playing host to the Tennessee Titans. But it is the events before and after the game that past and present players put their real game faces on.
On the eve of the eighth anniversary of 9/11, the team remembers the men and women who lost their lives on that tragic day with a special tribute. Members of some of the families who lost loved ones on Flight 93, which crashed in nearby western Pennsylvania, will be on the field for the tribute. They will wear number 93 Steelers jerseys with the name of their loved ones on the back.
Then on Friday, former Steelers Rocky Bleier, Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis will co-host a number of events to honor the heroes of 9/11. An Alumni Golf Outing, which will take place at the Pittsburgh Field Club, will send proceeds to Golf Supports Our Troops, a non-profit charity that provides golf therapy equipment to wounded and disabled veterans. The day is capped off with the “9/11 We Will Never Forget” dinner held at Heinz Field.
The benefit dinner is actually part of a larger mission — the Flight 93 National Memorial Campaign. In conjunction with the National Park Foundation, it is a campaign to help raise funds for a memorial members of those lost on Flight 93, has been on a mission to have a memorial built to honor those who sacrificed their own lives in order to save others that day. A silent auction will also be held during the dinner, benefitting Soldiers’ Angels, a volunteer-led organization that provides support to U.S. troops and their families all across the country.
Said Bleier of the memorial, “There are families that are still hurting. It’s not just a monument, but it’s about people who have given their lives.”
How you can get in the game:
To get tickets for the dinner and more information visit www.honorflight93.org
Aug
18
Food, Folks and Football
Filed Under Football | Leave a Comment
Next Thursday, Aug. 27, Washington Redskins fans can celebrate the upcoming football season by heading to the Redskins Welcome Home Luncheon.
The meal and meet-and-greet will give fans a chance to welcome new team members Albert Haynesworth, Brian Orakpo and DeAngelo Hall, as well as mingle with other Redskins players, coaches and alumni. The event also includes a live and silent auction, plus raffle drawings and prizes.
All proceeds from the luncheon, which will take place at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner in Virginia, go to benefit the Redskins Charitable Foundation and the Redskins Alumni Association. The Redskins Charitable Foundation focuses on youth development, literacy, education, community service and health and wellness.
How you can get in the game:
To buy tickets to the Redskins Welcome Home Luncheon click here
To find out more information about the Redskins Charitable Foundation, click here
Aug
9
A Room with a View, and Tennis Too
Filed Under Tennis | Leave a Comment
At first glance they seem like typical classrooms: bookshelves, tables and chairs, and elementary students’ art decorating the walls. It’s when you take a look out the windows, that you see there’s nothing typical at all. That’s because these ‘classrooms’ are set up inside suites that overlook the Center Court of the William H. G. FitzGerald Center in Washington, DC.
Courtesy of the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation, this is where, well, tennis and education pair up to make a difference. WTEF started in 1955 as a grassroots initiative aimed at helping young tennis players. Greater goals ensued and within years the foundation began addressing the education needs of inner city youths, first in DC, then Maryland and finally Virginia. Today the organization’s outreach — academic, athletic and life-skills instruction — extends to hundreds of children annually.
“Tennis is the drawing mechanism,” admits Pearl Hicks, a retired teacher and principal who has been volunteering with WTEF for 10 years. “But once we get them here, there’s so much more.”
More means scholarships, help with homework, college prep and in some cases, tailored curriculum for students in grades K through 12. More means in addition to their onsite programs, WTEF offers programs to students at several DC public schools. And more literally means space, as the foundation soon plans to open a new facility on seven acres of land in northeast DC.
This past week DC and the WTEF hosted the 2009 Legg Mason Tennis Classic. On Tuesday, while Robby Ginepri took on Benjamin Becker in an afternoon match, a dozen or so students, volunteers and staff members gathered in Suite 4 for the annual volunteer awards presentation.
Hick’s, who comes to the center once a week to work with students on reading and math, was one of the award recipients.
“My love is teaching, and helping others this way keeps me involved with academics,” said Hicks. “And it’s because I feel that this is a worthwhile program that I continue to volunteer.”
Cool classrooms and dedicated volunteers are just some of the components that help make the WTEF so effective in the community. Success stories abound. Like the student who started with the WTEF at age 4, went on to graduate as valedictorian from high school, and is currently on an academic scholarship at the University of Arizona. And the 2006 William College graduate who majored in English and double majored in African-American and Latino Studies.
Whether it’s practicing backhands on the court, or reading James Baldwin in the classroom, WTEF succeeds by teaching the lessons of life: sportsmanship, integrity, leadership and reliability.
How you can get in the game:
Head to the WTEF website to see how you can volunteer or make a donation. A portion of the Legg Mason proceeds go to WTEF.
Jul
31
Next Tuesday, August 4th D.C. hosts the Andy Roddick Foundation Day at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. The foundation helps to improve the quality of life and enhance educational and economic opportunities for all children based on the principles of respect for family, education and morality. All benefiting organizations aid in the development of at-risk children and families, including those that have been abused and neglected.
How you can get in the game:
For more information on the Andy Roddick Foundation please visit the charities section at www.andyroddick.com or call 561-620-9449
