This past week was the 13th year that I’ve chaired the MS Leadership Class. It was a fun and rewarding evening had by all.
I remember in the spring of 1996 when the Philadelphia Sixers’ deal was publicly announced, one of the first phone calls I received was from the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Following their congratulations, they asked if I would chair a new fund-raising initiative. Being a physical therapist in a past life and treating patients with MS – one of which was my very first patient named Ruth Bradway in May 1977 – I knew of the disease, its debilitating effects, and the extensive research required to eventually discover a cure.
The MS Leadership Class honors corporate executives for their outstanding contributions to civic, business, and cultural betterment of the Greater Delaware Valley area (Philadelphia, South Jersey, and Delaware). All of the participants conduct their own special gifts campaign for the National MS Society as part of the program – raising at least a grand apiece – by whatever creative means available to them. Begging, cajoling, or even threatening co-workers has proved fruitful.
In appreciation for their fund-raising efforts, the MS Leadership Class honorees are guests of honor at an award reception that I host. This year we held the event at the Union League in Philadelphia – a historic institution made famous by the 1983 comedy film Trading Places with Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd. In keeping with the humor of those two Saturday Night Live alumni, I provided the laughs and merriment as I introduced this year’s class of 85 professionals who raised a total of $190,000.
Prior to the hour-long ceremony (sans the drinks and appetizers), I’m provided with a list of honorees, their corporate affiliations, and their favorite quotations. I love the influence of inspirational words as you might have noticed throughout this site. So during the event when I introduce and call up each honoree to receive their award, I shared their particular quote with the audience – as well as some humorous observation of their name or commentary on their company. And the honorees who had neglected to provide the organizing committee with their favorite quote are in for a special ribbing. I encourage them to adlib on the spot. In reality, I torture them!
The evening is a great time. It’s a wonderful networking opportunity. And it’s so gratifying to see so many successful people in the same room sharing the same passion. Their will to do good, to believe in a cause, to take action is a living, breathing example that you can do well by doing good.
Coincidently, many of the quotations selected by the honorees reinforced the fact. Here are just a few:
“Service to others is the rent we pay for our room here on earth.” - Muhammad Ali. Honoree: Louis Beccaria, CEO of Phoenixville Community Health Foundation.
“In a gentle way you can shake the world.” – Gandhi.
Honoree: JoAnne Ilene Zoll, Zoll LLC Executive Search & Recruitment.
“It’s never to late to make a difference.”
Honoree: Eric Tweer, Vice President at Citizens Bank.
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Honoree: Kirsten Shawn, Corporate Paralegal at Brandywine Realty Trust.
“Well done is better than well said.” – Benjamin Franklin
Honoree: Bob Healey, Director of Business Development at InspiriTec.
I had a little fun with James Santora, VP of Residential Sales & Leasing for O’Neill Properties, who raised $27,000!
This entry was posted
on Monday, August 4th, 2008 at 8:05 am by Pat Croce
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August 4th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Pat, It was great to spend the evening with you. You have such energy! Thanks for being there and thanks for contributing your time to a really good cause. Someday with help from folks like you, we will all be getting together to celebrate the news that a cure and perhaps a means of prevention has been found. Until then we will continue to fight this battle together. Thanks again! (I stole my quote from a friend, but she shares it with me and all that are willing to stand (figuratively at times) and fight!) I have MS, MS does NOT have me.