6th Annual Orange Bowl Foundation “Feild of Dreams” Scholarship Benefit honors The Mournings
MIAMI – The Orange Bowl Foundation will hold its 6th annual “Field of Dreams” Scholarship Benefit sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, on March 28, 2008 at the Broward County Convention Center, reception 7pm.
Miami Heat basketball star, Alonzo Mourning, and wife, Tracy Wilson- Mourning, will be honored as the 2008 recipients of the Orange Bowl Keith Tribble Trailblazer Award. Other honorees include the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce, the African-American Research Library & Cultural Center and, Tarra L. Pressey, President/CEO of Tarra Enterprises, Inc.
The benefit also includes a special performance by Grammy-nominated, R&B crooner, Eric Benet.
Proceeds from the “Field of Dreams” Scholarship Benefit will be donated to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Florida Region, whose Ft. Lauderdale chapter serves several UNCF schools such as Florida Memorial University, Edward Waters College and Bethune Cookman College. Proceeds from the benefit will provide academic scholarships to African-American South Florida high school seniors planning to attend a UNCF institution.
“As Board Chair of the Orange Bowl Foundation, I am pleased to encourage the public to attend our annual Field of Dreams gala. The honorees are all distinguished individuals and institutions who give of them themselves to ensure the growth of a better community” commented Dr. Edith Hall.
The Orange Bowl Keith Tribble Trailblazer Award honors an individual who has made a significant impact in South Florida. The award is annually presented to an innovator, pioneer and ground breaker, a person who has helped open doors and prepared a way for others to have better lives. For 2008 this prestigious award goes not to an individual but a pair who continue to enrich lives, Alonzo & Tracy Mourning.
For more than a decade, Alonzo Mourning and Tracy Wilson-Mourning have worked diligently to support a number of programs for at-risk and foster-care children in Miami-Dade; particularly through Alonzo Mourning Charities (AM Charities). AM Charities has raised more than $6.5 million for various organizations that support at-risk children, especially through its flagship program, “Zo’s Summer Groove.” Fundraising efforts have benefited a host of charitable endeavors and helped provide for the Overtown Youth Center.
Tracy is particularly devoted to the Honey Shine Mentoring Program, which she founded to develop and nurture young women. Alonzo and Tracy have committed themselves to making a difference in the lives of others. Their passion and purpose meld in a desire to provide children with opportunities to grow and thrive.
The Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce is being honored for championing the economic advancement of black-owned businesses in South Florida. Founded in 1974, its unwavering mission is to lead the way towards long-term business prosperity by facilitating growth opportunities between the Black and general business communities.
The Chamber implements a number of programs that bring business professionals together to exchange goods and services promote interaction and spark mutually beneficial business communication. The Chamber has, in the last 4 years, quadrupled its membership by bringing innovative and relevant programs to its membership. The newest initiative is the Young Professionals Network (YPN), created to fill the void that many of South Florida’s young professionals experience socially, professionally and civically.
Since its grand opening in 2002, the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC) has served as a cultural staple in the Broward community. Among many interesting artifacts and collections, the library’s special collection includes, the Alex Haley Collection, complete with eight unfinished manuscripts by the author as well as photos and memorabilia from the Roots mini-series, as well as the Dorothy Porter Wesley Collection, which includes art, women’s studies and reference books related to Africans in the United States, Africa, Brazil, and the Caribbean. Being honored for its part in highlighting African-American culture in Broward County, The AARLCC prides itself on the wide range of educational courses they offer as well as the major exhibits and cultural programs that make up the library’s rich history.
A native of Riviera Beach, Tarra L. Pressey is the President of Tarra Enterprises, Inc., a joint venture that provides food services for Palm Beach International Airport. In addition to heading her own company, Pressey is the president of Girls II Women, a non-profit organization dedicated to mentoring young girls residing in Riviera Beach. Established in 1997, Girls II Women works to educate, inspire and motivate underserved girls to enhance their self-esteem and succeed in life.
Eric Benet is a Grammy-nominated, R&B and Neo-soul star best known for his smooth jams and his 5 year marriage to actress Halle Berry. Benet recently released his studio album, Hurricane, which is a musical composition of Benet’s life in the past five years. His latest album can also be seen as a dedication of love and respect for his daughter India, the muse for the song of the same name.
