One hundred generous supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® raised $900,000 for the kids of St. Jude at this year’s Legends for Charity® Dinner, which took place on May 15 at the Tampa home of event co-chairs Drew and Morgan Weatherford. The event typically brings together more than 700 guests around the excitement of the Super Bowl and includes an online public auction.
For 2021, the event was transformed into an intimate gathering of supporters committed to the mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children.® The online auction included luxury trips, autographed memorabilia and tickets to national sporting events.
The dinner is synonymous with the Pat Summerall Award, which honors a deserving national sports broadcaster or prominent sports figure who has had an outstanding career and made a significant impact in their community. This year’s honoree, Erin Andrews, will be celebrated during the Legends for Charity Dinner in Los Angeles during Super Bowl LVI. The entrepreneur, television host and FOX Sports reporter is the first female recipient of the Pat Summerall Award. Past honorees include Tony Dungy, James Brown, Greg Gumbel, Jim Nantz, Chris Berman, Cris Collinsworth, Al Michaels, Archie Manning, Michael Strahan, Joe Buck, Rich Eisen, Bill Cowher, The NFL ON FOX, John Madden and Jim Kelly.
“The backdrop for this year’s Legends for Charity Dinner may have changed, but the commitment of our supporters to ensure St. Jude can continue developing groundbreaking research and treatment for pediatric cancer and life-threatening diseases did not,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “We are grateful for the support of Legends for Charity and all who participate and support St. Jude during this event, which has become a cornerstone of the biggest weekend in professional sports. Their generosity ensures that families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all they should worry about is helping their child live.”
Since its inception more than 16 years ago, Legends for Charity has raised more than $8 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The late Pat Summerall and his wife Cheri, together with Ocean 2 Ocean Productions, which created and produces the event annually, chose St. Jude as their charity partner in 2006.
To learn more or to donate to St. Jude, visit LegendsForCharity.com.
Legends for Charity 2021 Event
About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since the hospital opened in 1962. St. Jude won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Because of generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.
About Legends for Charity
Legends for Charity® is an annual national event held during Super Bowl Weekend to present The Pat Summerall Award to a deserving broadcaster. Created by Cheryl DeLeonardis of Ocean 2 Ocean Productions, it is annually held at the prestigious NFL headquarters hotel and celebrates national sports legends and has raised over $7 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Since its inception more than fifteen years ago, it has become a cornerstone event during the biggest weekend in professional sports earning eight national Telly Awards and opening the world of sports broadcasters to the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Media Contacts:
Kurt Rossler
ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Kurt.Rossler@stjude.org
(901) 578-6752
Cheryl DeLeonardis
Ocean 2 Ocean Productions
ocean2ocean@bellsouth.net
(954) 922-7013