Look To The Stars News: Warrick Dunn

Stars To Give Big At Big Game Charity Event

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:30:00 -0000

The Giving Back Fund will host their “Big Game—Big Give” VIP Charity Event in Tampa, Florida on Saturday, January 31st, during Super Bowl XLIII weekend.

This exclusive event will be held at an exquisite waterfront estate from 5:30 – 8:00 pm. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served. A limited number of $1000 tickets will be available to the public online at Givingback.org. All proceeds go to charity and all tickets are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Confirmed guests include Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, Maria Menounos, Drew Brees, Warrick Dunn, Matt Cassel, Reggie Wayne, World Series MVP Cole Hamels, John Lynch, Mike Allstott, Matt Ryan, and Antwaan Randle El.

“We wanted to offer an elegant and exclusive choice for the weekend’s celebrations. Somewhere you can have a real conversation up close and personal with star athletes. An event where everyone in attendance is a VIP,” said The Giving Back Fund’s founder and president Marc Pollick. “We look forward to hosting many of the athletes whom we advise on charity matters in the same room for the first time. In many ways the party is also a celebration of their commitment to philanthropy.”

The Giving Back Fund is the premier philanthropic resource for the sports and entertainment communities. The Fund encourages philanthropy from high-profile individuals and the general public, offering the resources and support celebrities need to confidently give back to their communities.

Derrick Brooks Hosts Ebony Fashion Show

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The 51st annual Ebony Fashion Fair hit the catwalks of Tampa this weekend, hosted by Buccaneer legend Derrick Brooks.

The event was organized by Brooks’ own charity, which he established to provide educational opportunities for socio-economically challenged youth that will instill, inspire, broaden, and develop cultural and social vision outside of the walls in which they live to ensure that these young people have every chance to develop into the strong and productive leaders of tomorrow.

For the last 51 years, the Ebony Fashion Show has not only premiered creations by the world’s biggest designers, but also made big stars out of some of its models.

The show followed the news that the charity golf tournament organized by Brooks and teammate Warrick Dunn was cancelled last month due to the struggling economy.

Andre Agassi Talks About Athletes For Hope

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Former tennis great Andre Agassi has talked about his charitable efforts and his work with Athletes For Hope is a recent interview with CNBC.

Athletes For Hope is an organization that was established in 2006 to educate, encourage and assist athletes in their efforts to contribute to community and charitable causes, while at the same time increasing public awareness of those efforts, and inspiring others to do the same. Agassi launched the initiative with co-founders Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning, and Cal Ripken, Jr to pass his passion for philanthropy to others.

“We’ve signed up about 500 athletes in about a year’s time,” Agassi told CNBC. "Myself, Lance and Mia (Hamm) have been reaching out and we just got a bunch of the Portland TrailBlazers who want to be a part of it. We’re just trying to build this thing up as big as we can.

“I feel like it’s a daily effort to get it right and to make sure what I do in the next 20 years trumps the last 20 years. I keep pushing for the things I believe in. I used tennis as a vehicle and I got attracted to education because I saw how it could change the lives of children.”

During the interview, Agassi also talked about how difficult it is to keep a charity going, especially given the current recession.

“It’s difficult. If you want to be successful in any business, you have to put a lot of time into it. And an athlete’s time is a rare commodity. If you want a charity to work, it has to be a full-time commitment and then some. That’s why Athletes For Hope is big because it’s not only for people who don’t have the wherewithal to build their own foundation but will also serve as a great way for athletes to learn the process and what they should value. They are now surrounded by an army of us.”

The full interview can be read here.

Brooks And Dunn Carry On Despite Cancellation

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The charity golf tournament organized by Tampa Bay Buccaneers Derrick Brooks and Warrick Dunn has been cancelled – but that won’t stop the sports stars from carrying out their charity work.

The event was to take place later in January, but the failing economy has taken its toll.

“We had been fortunate in securing just over $100,000 in sponsorships; however, we were still short of our goal of $200,000,”said Natalie Boe, executive director for the Warrick Dunn Foundation. “Their concern was that with only six weeks to go before the event — and two of those weeks being holiday weeks, with a lot of people not having their budgets re-evaluated for January — we were afraid we wouldn’t get that commitment for the event.”

However, both Brooks and Dunn will be raising money for the Warrick Dunn Foundation and the Derrick Brooks Charities in different ways – Dunn will be part of SuperBuild, an NFL-endorsed initiative to erect six Habitat For Humanity homes in the days leading up to Super Bowl, and Brooks will be part of the Ebony Fashion Fair, a fashion show at the Tampa Theatre. Tickets to the event are $35 at www.derrickbrookscharities.org, and info about SuperBuild can be found at www.habitatsuperbuild.com.

Warrick Dunn To Host Fundraiser Tonight

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The Sixth Annual Warrick Dunn Foundation Gala will be held tonight, October 13, in Atlanta.

American football legend Warrick Dunn will be joined by former and current NFL teammates to raise money for his charity – which he established after his mother was shot to death in 1993 – to help struggling single parents buy their own homes.

“Despite Warrick’s move from the Atlanta Falcons to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers there is still a need for the Foundation’s assistance in Georgia,” said Natalie Boe, Warrick Dunn Foundation Executive Director. “We look forward to continuing our support of the greater Atlanta area.”

The evening will include live musical performances, a live and silent auction (including a Super Bowl XLIII package), Macy’s Fashion Extravaganza and much more.

Earlier this year, Dunn joined a host of professional athletes – such as Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning, and Cal Ripken Jr. – to found Athletes For Hope, a charitable organization which helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and inspires millions of non-athletes to volunteer and support the community.

More information about the Gala can be found at the Athletes For Hope website.

Football Stars Brooks And Dunn Host Charity Golf Tourney

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Jennifer Beckmann

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Derrick Brooks and Warrick Dunn will partner for the Brooks and Dunn Inaugural Golf Classic in January 2009.

Brooks and Dunn – the footballers, not the country music duo – will split the proceeds from the two-day golf event between their respective charities, the Derrick Brooks Charities and the Warrick Dunn Foundation. The event, held at Cypress Run – a private golf club in Tarpon Springs, Florida – will include a reception, live and silent auction, raffle prizes, and celeb-studded golf tournament. Included in each participating foursome will be a celebrity from the National Football League, National Basketball Association, or Major League Baseball.

Both Brooks’ and Dunn’s organizations are both aimed at helping underprivileged families and children throughout the southeastern United States. Derrick Brooks Charities aims to provide educational opportunities for socio-economically challenged youth to inspire leadership; while the Warrick Dunn Foundation is dedicated to providing opportunities for economically-disadvantaged single parents and children committed to achieving financial independence and stability.

Both charities were founded in 1997 and have since helped more than 1,000 people. Says Derrick Brooks, “Our foundations are working toward the common goal of helping less fortunate families succeed and pursue their dreams.”

Star Athletes Create Charity Team

Wed, 09 May 2007 14:02:29 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Athletes work hard to be the best at what they do, and now some of the top sports celebrities have joined their efforts to form a team with a common goal of philanthropy. The prize they hope to win is a better future for the world.

The founding members of Athletes For Hope are already familiar with charity work, and hope to pass their passion for helping others on to the future generation of sports stars.

“Combined, our 12 Founding Athletes have raised more than $500 million for charitable and health-related causes, have built schools, community centers, hospitals, parks, and stadiums, while touching countless lives in ways that can’t be calculated,” said Ivan Blumberg, CEO of Athlete’s for Hope.

Andre Agassi, Mia Hamm and Lance Armstrong originally put the idea together, and were soon joined by Muhammad Ali, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Gordon, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning and Cal Ripken, Jr. The have created a clearing house where young athletes will be teamed up with exsisting charities, or helped to create charities of their own.

They hope that involving the athletes will also inspire the public to get involved in philanthropy.

“We’ve helped each other through our foundations,” tennis star Agassi said. “We realized as much as we can effect (change) individually, you can effect more profoundly collectively. It’s an exponential message.”

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