Colts Head Coach Hosts 5th Annual Colts Celebrity
Showdown
INDIANAPOLIS – Colts players and coaches spent a little more time than usual at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center on Wednesday, June 10. After finishing up their Summer School session in the afternoon, more than 50 players and coaches returned that evening to support Head Coach Jim Caldwell as he hosted the 5th Annual Colts Celebrity Showdown. The event, which was started by former head coach Tony Dungy in 2005, raises funds for the Indianapolis Chapter of the Carson Scholars Fund to provide scholarships for students in grades 4-11.
This year, Coach Caldwell continued to support the Carson Scholars Fund and added a new philanthropic element to the event – providing Promethean interactive whiteboards and educational software for local community centers to enhance their after-school programming.
During an evening that included live and silent auctions, a cocktail reception, buffet dinner and raffle, the 225 guests helped raise more than $91,000 to support these both of these initiatives. Several of the auction items proved to be very popular with the guests as they were given the opportunity to bid on a Colts away game trip to Baltimore, a private practice viewing, dinner with Coach Caldwell, a behind-the-scenes NBC experience for Sunday Night Football, Colts autographed memorabilia and much more.
In addition, guests had the opportunity to get autographs from some of their favorite Colts players, including LB Gary Brackett, TE Dallas Clark, QB Peyton Manning and DB Bob Sanders. However, Colts players weren't the only guests of honor in the room that night. Coach Caldwell also welcomed Dr. Ben Carson and his wife, Candy, as well as several representatives from Promethean.
Dr. Carson, a world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon, started the Carson Scholars Fund in 1994. Recently, Dr. Carson's incredible story was relived by Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. in the movie Gifted Hands.
To cap off the evening, several members of the Colts offense and defense went head-to-head in the Celebrity Showdown, a "Family Feud"-style gameshow that has become one of the event's most popular elements. This year proved to be no different as it came down to the wire – in the end, though, the offense, which featured Colts TE's Jacob Tamme and Tom Santi, and WR's Anthony Gonzalez and Roy Hall, prevailed and was rewarded with a trophy signifying their victory. The defense was represented by P Pat McAfee, DB's Jerraud Powers and Jamie Silva, and LB Philip Wheeler.
Dinner for the 5th Annual Colts Celebrity Showdown was provided by O'Charley's, the cocktail reception was courtesy of Budweiser, Coca-Cola and Diageo. The staging and lighting was provided by Markey's Rental and Staging.
About The Carson Scholars FundThe Carson Scholars Fund is a non-profit 501(c)(3) public charity, which was founded in 1994 by world renowned pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson and his wife, Candy. The purpose of the fund is to reward students in grades 4-11 who demonstrate academic promise (3.75 GPA or higher) and humanitarian service with $1,000 scholarship awards that are invested for their college education. The Indianapolis Chapter of the Carson Scholars Fund was started through the support of Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy and his wife, Lauren. Since its inception in 2005, the chapter has raised more than $620,000, provided endowments at 4 Indianapolis Public Schools and awarded 42 individual scholarships to Indiana students. In addition, the Colts have funded a statewide endowment that is available annually to any Indiana student. In 2009, an additional 70 scholarships will be awarded to deserving Indiana youth.
About Promethean
Promethean entices today's tech-savvy students in the classroom by providing educational tools that bridge the gap between how this new generation of students lives and how they learn. Since 1977, Promethean's innovative, award-winning products are fully integrated in interactive learning technology, making lesson planning a breeze for teachers and learning a delight for students. For more information, please visit www.prometheanworld.com.
