Sports superstars and philanthropic icons will be recognized at the 22nd Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner on Monday, September 17 at New York's Waldorf=Astoria Hotel. The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis is a non-profit organization that is the national fundraising arm of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, the world's largest, most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center, based at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Tom Brokaw, who is again hosting the event, will present "The Outstanding Philanthropist Award" to Lois Pope and "The Buoniconti Fund Award" to The Bantle Family.
The spectacular and heartwarming event is expected to again sell out to over 1,300 guests and raise more than $3 million for spinal cord injury research. The event begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception and silent auction, followed by dinner, which will include a live auction of one-of-a- kind sports memorabilia and other unique items.
"These honorees are among the finest that sports have to offer," says Nick Buoniconti, founder of The Buoniconti Fund and defensive captain of the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. "This group of the greatest sports figures of all time have individually contributed in significant ways to their respective fields and, by accepting this honor at our annual fundraiser, they are also contributing to finding a cure for spinal cord injuries, which affect millions of lives."
Over the course of the past two decades, the Great Sports Legends Dinner has honored 226 of the world's greatest athletes and individuals. They are recognized for their contributions to the world of sports and acknowledged for their commitment to high ethical standards, dedication to their community, worthy causes and achievements as positive role models. Their participation has helped raise more than $34 million for The Miami Project's spinal cord injury research programs. Former honorees include Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle, Jack Nicklaus, Gloria Estefan, Muhammad Ali, Wayne Gretzky, Patrick Ewing, Walter Cronkite, Mia Hamm, Dan Marino and Joe DiMaggio.
In 1985, Barth A. Green, M.D. and Nick Buoniconti founded The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis after Nick's son, Marc, sustained a spinal cord injury during a college football game. Today, The Miami Project is the world's largest, most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center located in the Lois Pope LIFE Center and is based at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The Miami Project's international team of over 200 scientists, clinicians, technicians and support staff take innovative approaches to the challenge of spinal cord injury. Committed to finding a cure for paralysis resulting from spinal cord injury and to seeing millions worldwide walk again, the Buoniconti family established The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis in 1992, a non-profit organization devoted to assisting The Miami Project achieve its national and international goals.
