Legends for Charity

Football stars kickoff Legends for Charity events for St. Jude

On May 16, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, hosted the first in a series of events that will give football fans around the country a chance to honor some of the legends of the gridiron and help in the fight against childhood cancer.

The event, the Regional Legends for Charity®, will include dinners, galas and golf events that will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the premier center for research and treatment of childhood catastrophic diseases.

Long time St. Jude supporters Dave and Jan Wannstedt hosted the first event held at the Oakmont Country Club. Mike Tomlin, head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was the special guest of honor.

“I am honored and proud to host the first event of this exciting new program to benefit St. Jude,” said Wannstedt, head coach of the University of Pittsburgh. “This charity is very special to my wife, Jan, and me, and we are once again excited to chair an event to raise the necessary dollars to help the kids of St. Jude.”

James Brown, three-time Sports Emmy® award-winner and host of the NFL Today on CBS, serves as the national honorary chairperson for Regional Legends for Charity. These events are a spinoff of the national Legends for Charity fundraiser for St. Jude, held in conjunction with the Super Bowl.

“I’m very proud and honored to be part of this exciting new opportunity to help the children of St. Jude,” Brown said. “As the national honorary chairperson for these events, I am delighted to partner with Cheryl DeLeonardis in this unique effort to support such a worthwhile charity.”

In addition to the Pittsburgh Gala, other Regional Legends for Charity events will take place in South Florida in June, Chicago in July and Detroit in the fall. Former NFL stars Jimmy Cefalo (Miami Dolphins), Dan Jiggetts (Chicago Bears) and Lem Barney (Detroit Lions) are set to host these events.

“St. Jude is proud of this program and grateful for the generous support of James Brown, Dave and Jan Wannstedt, Jimmy Cefalo, Dan Jiggets and Lem Barney,” said John P. Moses, chief executive officer of ALSAC, the fundraising organization for St. Jude. “We absolutely value the time they are putting into this effort to raise the much-needed funds to keep the dream of Danny Thomas alive - that no child should die in the dawn of life.”

Cheryl DeLeonardis, president of Ocean 2 Ocean Productions, created the national Legends for Charity event, which benefits St. Jude and presents The Pat Summerall Award each year to a person who has demonstrated character, integrity and leadership both on and off the job throughout their career. The award was created in honor of the legendary broadcaster for his contributions to the NFL for more than 50 years and is presented during Super Bowl Weekend

Together with Brown, DeLeonardis has expanded the program to develop in conjunction with St. Jude regional events that will be held in various NFL cities and annually during the Super Bowl.

May 2008