This past Sunday night I had the opportunity to attend the 2017 NFL Alumni Association Madison, WI chapter’s Celebrity dinner event. My wife’s company is a donor each year and was provided with seats at the event and so she asked if I wanted to go. At first, upon hearing that the guest speaker was to be Philadelphia Eagles and ESPN great Ron ‘JAWS’ Jaworksi, I immediately said “I’m in!” As a Philadelphia native, I would never pass up on an opportunity to listen to Jaws speak live; the guy is awesome! Little did I know that this event would be much bigger than football, a guest speaker, and celebrities.
I’ll be the first to admit, I didn’t know much about the NFL Alumni Association, aside from the bits and pieces heard on ESPN or sports talk radio. And by bits and pieces I mean like individual grains of sand. Basically, I knew it existed and could decipher from the name what its purpose was…or so I thought. Doing some research, I found that the NFL Alumni Association was established in 1967, with the intent to provide various services, opportunities and networks for retired players and their families. While the group was initially established to benefit former players, it has grown into an organization that is heavily involved in community outreach, fund-raising and other endeavors through various charitable organizations.
We hear about players and coaches being involved in charitable efforts, but rarely do we hear it being reported on or focused on as a focal point in a discussion. So, I wanted to write about what the evening entailed, so that you can get an idea of the fruits of these endeavors. The evening began with cocktails and a silent auction. Items such as tickets to sporting events, signed jerseys from Jaws himself and Giannis Antetokuonmpo, golf outings, spa outings, and more were all graciously donated from local organizations to raise money for the association’s charities. It was great to mingle with some of the retired stars who were present: Ron Dayne, Wendell Davis (who was actually our table’s captain and possibly one of THE nicest former players I have ever had the pleasure of talking to), Mel Gray to name a few. But the true heart of the evening was about to start…
At 7 PM we were ushered from cocktails and mingling to our tables for dinner and the start of the program. Mike Heller, known for his radio shows and podcasts and occasional Dan Patrick show fill-in, was the host of the evening’s program. Like any excited sports fanatic, I was ready to hear some sports stories, some jokes, some fun. And that was when the first guest speakers of the evening were called up to the stage. Two children, siblings, one 18 and one 12. They spoke on behalf of The Children’s Dyslexia Center of Madison. They told us the stories of their diagnosis, one-on-one tutoring they had received, and what they have achieved thus far in their lives because of this attention. Their accomplishments were amazing. They lived seemingly normal lives because of hard-work and dedication not only from themselves, but from their support groups, provided to them by the Children’s center. It was then that I first learned, that this organization was one of the charities being supported that night; providing opportunities for children like these two, to receive one-on-one tutoring at no cost to the children or their families. From the NFL Alumni website, “The Children’s Dyslexia center has helped 187 children from the Greater Madison area overcome learning disabilities and gain grade-level reading and writing skills since the program began in 2001.” As we clapped for these two, brave children, speaking in front of 100s of individuals, I was just amazed. Little did we know, it was just the beginning.
Heller jumped back on stage, ready to introduce the next speakers. Two parents approached the stage, wide eyed, bright smiles. They spoke on behalf of the United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Dane County. Their child had suffered a stroke at birth and had to go through numerous medical visits to determine the effects of this incident. It turned out, the doctors said it wouldn’t be very likely that the child would be able to walk, would be partially blind, and numerous other defects. We then learned, thanks to the efforts of the various medical personnel from the United Cerebral Palsy organization, this child (I believe now 14) is walking and even at times running. The family’s story was very moving, very heartfelt and very, very real.
Next up, was a young, African American man, who excelled both on the football field and basketball courts, as well as in the classroom. The Lussier Community Education Center, provides children with an opportunity to excel in whatever they are willing to set their minds to, and keep them off the streets, out of trouble, and focused on their ultimate goals. This man, about to be a senior at one of the local high schools here in Madison, spoke about his goals, his decision making, his learned ability to decipher right from wrong. He has been a success on the field, and hopes to play football in college. He maintains A’s and B’s. He’s not only beating the odds, he is erasing their existence. As an idol to his brothers and sisters, he wants to encourage not only them, but all kids growing up in a similar situation, to focus on what they want in life and to do everything it takes to achieve that end goal. It was a wonderful discussion.
Last up was a story with an ending statement that really hit hard. The lady who was speaking had a daughter who had gone into renal failure at the age of 3 years old. Through the efforts of the American Family Children’s Hospital, they could find a matching kidney donor for her daughter. The child, bright with happiness, energy and a HUGE smile, is now living a normal life like all other children her age. While this could sound like numerous other happy ending stories, this mother’s point was made very clear at the end. The fundraising efforts of the NFL Alumni Association saved her daughter’s life. There is no way of knowing where or how your individual donation is used. But, it is very possible that your personal donation was the last little bit they needed to buy a specific piece of equipment, hire an extra nurse or doctor, provide an extra bed. Whether it be $20 or $2000, every little bit helps.
That hit me, hard. My wife and I bought two raffle tickets for $40, not expecting to win, but just to donate a little more to the cause. I always think to myself, a little bit is better than nothing. And then I see this mother, and see this child. I hear her story, I see her emotion on her face. She is just one of many who has been helped by the charitable donations of the NFL Alumni Association. To hear these stories, to experience this event, to see actual lives which have been affected, changed, bettered because of the efforts of the NFL Alumni Association’s charitable efforts, was just an amazing experience. We think about these guys on the field, in their jerseys, representing our teams. It’s entertainment. We idolize these guys, wear their names on our backs and watch religiously every Sunday. But on a night like this, it is more than just football. These guys are using their platform to promote awareness of these various organizations who are truly affecting people’s lives: Everyday people, like most us who watch these athletes.
This was my first time attending the Celebrity banquet event, and it for sure will not be my last. Hearing Jaworski’s speech was awesome, it was entertainment, it was all you could imagine from Jaws. But hearing the stories from these four families, whose lives were changed for the better thanks to the efforts of the NFL Alumni Association…that was by far the highlight of the evening.
Well done NFL.
#TEAMNOBODY
For more information on the charities who were being represented that evening, follow the links below:
American Family Children’s Hospital of Madison
The Children’s Dyslexia Center of Madison
Lussier Center, Madison 4 Kids
The United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Dane County
NFL Alumni Association – Madison Chapter