Gridiron Heroes Talk Football, Pride & Family to Raise Funds for NLSA Cannon Who Served As Master of Ceremonies
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Gridiron Gold provided guests with an exceptional display of 150 silent auction items, including special and unique autographed sports memorabilia. The live auction included a trip to London for an NFL game this fall, an opportunity to fl y with the Steelers team and attend their game in Kansas City this year, and a one-of-a-kind original painting of the six quarterbacks created JUSTICE by noted Pittsburgh Sports artist, Dino Guarino. The unique painting, along with a very limited number of Hall of Fame helmets and footballs, were signed at Gridiron Gold by the four living quarterbacks. www.nlsa.us MATTERS Pittsburgh sports historian, Jim O’Brien, wrote a new book, “Golden Arms,” specifi cally for the Gridiron Gold event, capturing the lives and careers of the six Hall of Fame quarterbacks from this region. Each guest received a A Publication of Neighborhood Legal Services Association FALL 2015 complimentary copy of the book. Managing the fl ow of the evening for NLSA was long-time supporter Ellis Gridiron Heroes Talk Football, Pride & Family to Raise Funds for NLSA Cannon who served as Master of Ceremonies. As an attorney himself, Ellis was eloquent in his description of the agency’s mission. The dinner began with an invocation by Bishop David Zubik who was a guest of Huntington On June 6, 2015, Neighborhood Legal The highlight of the evening was an Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence Bank, and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Steelers legend Rocky Bleier. Services Association (NLSA) hosted energetic arm chair discussion with the Counties who, for a variety of reasons, Gridiron Gold – the largest and most four quarterbacks, led by NFL Network would otherwise not have access to legal “We are a quiet organization because of the nature of the services we provide, successful fundraising event in the journalist Andrea Kremer. services. “The generosity of those who so the opportunity to share the work we do with such a big audience is very agency’s 50-year history raising more attended the event, bid on auction items, signifi cant and meaningful to the staff, volunteers and attorneys of NLSA,” than $800,000. NLSA worked for Each quarterback received a standing or donated their time and resources to said Racunas. nearly two years with Honorary Chairman, ovation from a highly enthusiastic make Gridiron Gold a success is truly Arthur J. Rooney II, and Event Chairman, audience as they were introduced, as humbling,” said Bob Racunas, Esq., To view an array of photos from Gridiron Gold and a complete listing of the event’s Richard W. Boyd, to create Gridiron did Dan Rooney who was recognized Executive Director of NLSA. He continued, generous sponsors, please visit to www.nlsa.us. To learn more about NLSA and Gold which recognized the extraordinary earlier in the evening. “We are very grateful to everyone who NLSA Executive Director Bob Racunas and his wife Karen pose with Gridiron Gold opportunities to donate or volunteer, call Christine Kirby at 412-586-6137. careers of the six Pro Football supported Gridiron Gold as honorees at the DeBartolo Reception. Pictured (from L-R) Joe Namath, John Unitas, Jr., these proceeds will enable Betty Blanda, Karen Racunas, Bob Racunas, Jim Kelly, Joe Montana and Dan Marino. Hall of Fame quarterbacks born in southwestern Pennsylvania NLSA to continue to be the – George Blanda, Jim Kelly, essential civil legal resource for Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Joe low-income and underserved Namath and Johnny Unitas. individuals in our region.” The four living quarterbacks For nearly 50 years, NLSA has from this exceptional group quietly delivered its mission – Kelly, Marino, Montana and to ensure equal access to Namath – came to Pittsburgh justice for all residents of this for this unique event along with area, with 8,868 cases in fi scal Mrs. Betty Blanda and John year 2015 serving 17,252 Unitas, Jr. This was the fi rst individuals. NLSA clients may time that the six quarterbacks be victims of domestic abuse, have been celebrated together predatory lending or they may Joe Namath, Joe Montana, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino participate in a lively round in Pittsburgh. Marking the be threatened with eviction. table discussion moderated by NFL Network Correspondent Andrea Kremer. occasion, the Pro Football Hall of They may be veterans seeking Fame in Canton Ohio, brought resources as they return from the Hall’s six bronze busts of the Joe Namath reminisces about growing up in Western PA with Joe Montana, duty. In any event, all of the quarterbacks which were on Andrea Kremer, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino and Gridiron Gold attendees. people represented by NLSA are typically display throughout the evening. in crisis, often with their basic needs for safety and security being threatened. NFL Films also provided highlight Gridiron Gold’s presenting sponsor, footage of the six quarterbacks, has Huntington Bank, led a group of 70 created a half-hour feature of Gridiron table sponsors including First National Gold that aired this fall. Bank, UPMC Health Plan, and Peoples Natural Gas. The Pittsburgh Steelers As the primary benefi ciary of Gridiron and DeBartolo Holdings also sponsored Gold, NLSA is also sharing a portion receptions for over 1,000 guests who fi lled of the net proceeds with each the main ballroom at the Wyndham Grand quarterback’s designated charity. For Pittsburgh Hotel. Gridiron Gold Event Chairman shakes hands with former Steelers running back Joe Montana completes one more pass to Jerry Rice who traveled to Pittsburgh for the event. NLSA, this income represents signifi cant Franco Harris. Harris went home with the event’s premier live auction item, Pittsburgh Artist Dino Guarino’s depiction of the 6 “Gridiron Greats”. support for the agency’s efforts to provide Mr. Rooney was joined by his father, civil legal representation to residents of Dan Rooney, and several Steelers alumni including Rocky Bleier, Franco Harris, Andy Funded, in part, by the Commonwealth and through a contract with the Pennsylvania Department of NLSA provides service to Russell, Louis Lipps and Craig Bingham. residents in Allegheny, Beaver, Community and Economic Developemt (DCED). The offi cial registration and fi nancial information of the Contact Neighborhood Legal Services Association may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by Mr. Eddie DeBartolo brought his own Butler and Lawrence counties. calling toll-free within Pennsylvania 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement. Federal contingent of 49ers alumni with Jerry Us Call toll-free: 1-866-761-6572 regulations applying to NLSA require that we notify all donors that no funds can be expended by NLSA for Rice, Ronnie Lott, Dwight Clark and Honorary Chairman Art Rooney II any activity prohibited under P.L.104-134 or otherwise prohibited by 45 C.F.R. § 1600 et seq. Roger Craig who were in attendance. speaks of the important work of NLSA. Visit us online: www.nlsa.us Words from Penn Seeking Justice For Families One Family at a Time Dear Friend, NLSA is hosting a football fundraiser? That was the Family law is one of the most challenging practice areas of NLSA, One of the most poignant moments at When Brenda met with Mark and told Brenda’s very public and heart-felt reaction we got from most people when we decided to according to Pamela Lynn Dalton-Arlotti, the Director of Program the Gridiron Gold event -- in an evening him her story, she, like many women gesture of thanks is a perfect illustration host the fi rst-ever gathering of six Pro Football Hall of Fame Performance and Compliance for Neighborhood Legal Services of big moments -- was when Brenda, a who have suffered years of abuse, tried of NLSA’s mission, and for those lucky quarterbacks from western PA. Events like Gridiron Gold Association. “ The families that we represent are in crisis. It is our former NLSA client, took the stage to to minimize or normalize her story. But enough to attend Gridiron Gold, one of most often are black-tie and high profi le society events, not job to act quickly to ensure the safety of children and those who tell her story. Mark saw Brenda’s situation for what the most memorable moments of the what most think of when they think of Neighborhood Legal care for them,” she said. it was. At the abuse hearing, Mark evening. Services Association. Brenda described her harrowing, presented a trail of evidence from the NLSA provides free legal services in family law to those in Lawrence, seemingly never-ending life of abuse Children and Youth Services, the state Speaking to a hushed crowd, former NLSA client Brenda But we wanted and needed to shake up our fundraising Butler, Beaver and Allegheny counties, focusing primarily in three areas. she and her two children were subjected police and county crisis shelter that tells her compelling story to the Gridiron Gold audience. model to better serve us. So when key staff and longtime to by her then husband. Even after a resulted in a fi nal Protection Order that First, NLSA offers Protection From Abuse representation to clients at supporters gathered to identify ways of diversifying legal separation, she was still required stopped all unsupervised visits – and all their fi nal hearing where they are seeking a long term protection order. revenue, the feedback indicated “something” focused on to permit him unsupervised visits from phone contact – between the children Second, NLSA offers representation in situations where the primary which the children would often come sports was where we needed to be headed. From that custodian has been sued to have custody removed or reduced to and their father for three years.