The Champions Gala – June 17, 2011
The Chris Canty Foundation invites the community to come together for a wonderful evening to raise awareness and support for our youth. We call this experience the Champions Gala.
We will be honoring Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe and Bishop George Edward Battle Jr. of the A.M.E. Zion Church. We will also recognize several programs, and organizations that share our passion and commitment to positively impact the lives of youth in our community. Our guest speaker is Adam Schefter of ESPN. The evening of the Champions Gala is a formal one and will include dinner, cocktails, live music, and both a live and silent auction.
The Champions Gala is set for June 17, 2011 @ the Ballantyne Resort in South Charlotte. Mark your calendars! Join Chris Canty along with some of the brightest stars in Sports & Entertainment for an evening of fun and fellowship in support of our youth. If you are interested in sponsoring a table or being an event sponsor click here. All proceeds go to The Chris Canty Foundation.
Presenting The 2011 Champions Gala Honorees
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe
Rodney D. Monroe was appointed Police Chief of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department on June 16, 2008 by City Manager Curt Walton. Chief Monroe leads the largest municipal police department in the state sworn 1,757 members and 486 civilian members. He brings the knowledge and experience of nearly thirty years in the law enforcement profession. He was the chief of the Richmond Police Department from February 2005 to June 2008. His efforts there lead to the lowest number of homicides in over twenty-five years. Under then Chief Monroe’s leadership, the Department regained its reputation as a leader in urban policing. Crime rates declined every year by approximately 10 percent during Monroe’s tenure, and community policing initiatives were expanded. A recognized innovator, and practitioner of community policing, Chief Monroe is known to refocus police departments on crime fighting and crime prevention through a more accountable organizational structure, new technology, and an enhanced strategy of community policing.
Bishop George Edward Battle Jr. of The A.M.E. Zion Church
George E. Battle, Jr. is a native of Rocky Mount, North Carolina. A 1967 graduate of Clinton Jr. College in Rock Hill, South Carolina with an Associate Degree. A graduate of Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina with a B.A. degree. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Hood Theological Seminary, also in Salisbury. He earned a Doctor of Ministry from Howard University in Washington, D.C. He has also received honorary doctorate degrees from Clinton Jr. College, Hood Theological Seminary, Livingstone College, Queens College, and University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He was elected a Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in 1992. He presently serves the North Eastern Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church which includes the New York, New England, Western New York, and the Bahama Islands Conferences.
Bishop Battle has made many professional achievements and has worked diligently serving his community. His civic and community involvements include: Founder of the Greater (formerly known as the Gethsemane) Enrichment Program that received a national award for the best program of its kind utilizing Federal Funds (now in existence for over 35 years); Founder/Member of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Alliance for Public Schools; member, River Run Club; member, Leadership Breakfast Group in Charlotte, North Carolina; One of the Founders of the Urban League of Central Carolinas; organizer of the Biddleville Five Points Community, such as boy scouts which led to major improvements in housing, parks, sidewalks, etc.; member, National Association for the advancement of Colored People.
Our Emcee – Bruce Snyder, WCCB-TV Fox Charlotte
Bruce Snyder is the Sports Director at WCCB-TV, Fox Charlotte. Since joining WCCB in 2002, he’s covered some of the biggest sports stories around the state.
His job affords him the opportunity to cover everything from football with the Carolina Panthers to the wild racing events at NASCAR. As the Co-host of “Fox-Got-Game” he interviews some of the most interesting mix of people in and out of the world of sports. A fun natured show geared towards the sports fan, “Fox-Got-Game” even entices viewers a little less educated about sports.
Since making the Queen City his home in 1996, Bruce was named sports director at WXLV in Greensboro, and later as a sportscaster for WNCN in Raleigh and WXII in Winston-Salem. Before that Bruce was a sportscaster at WTVM in Columus, GA and at WAKA in Montgomery, Alabama.
He is the recipient of numerous awards and countless recognitions for his reporting and anchoring ability. When he’s not in front of the camera, you’ll find Bruce working out, playing raquetball or tennis, volunteering for various local agencies, or cheering on his beloved Florida Gators. He is married to the lovely Charisse and they are the proud parents of two beautiful children Sage and Brayden.
Our Guest Speaker – Adam Shefter, ESPN NFL Insider
Adam Schefter joined ESPN as an NFL Insider in August 2009, and appears on SportsCenter, NFL Live, Sunday NFL Countdown, Monday Night Countdown and ESPNEWS throughout the year in addition to contributing regularly to other platforms, including ESPN.com and ESPN Radio. In 2010, Schefter and Senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen departed on separate cross-country road trips that took the duo to all 32 NFL training camps in 19 days and logging more than 15,000 combined miles. Mortensen concentrated on teams in the West, while Schefter focused on the East.
For over 20 years, Schefter has covered the NFL and is regarded as one of the league’s top reporters in the industry. Before joining ESPN, Schefter was a reporter/analyst for NFL Network from 2004-08. Prior to joining NFL Network, Schefter was a sportswriter for the Denver Post where he covered the Broncos for 15 years.
He was named the Colorado Sports Writer of the Year in 2002 and 2003. During his days with the Post, Schefter also frequently appeared on ESPN’s Around the Horn and the Sports Reporters. A native of Valley Stream, N.Y., Schefter is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
Tickets to the Champions Gala 2011 are $100.00 and 100 percent of the proceeds benefit The Chris Canty Foundation to benefit youth. www.chriscantyfoundation.com
