Mathews-Dickey Celebrates “Save the Children” at its 46th Anniversary Awards Program & Alumni Celebration; Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Founder Jack Taylor Pledges $1 Million Challenge Match to Facilities Fund Enterprise Rent-Car Corporate Relations Director Alonzo Byrd announces that company founder Jack Taylor has pledged a $1 Million Facilities Fund Challenge Match to fund the renovation of the Club's Facilities to Mathews-Dickey President, CEO & Co-Founder Martin L. Mathews. Club member and Medal Excellence Award Winner Marcus Hammonds steps forward seconds later to announce that he has recruited $95 in contributions to support the endeavor. United Way of Greater St. Louis Executive VP & Chief Operating Officer Cheryl Polk received the Meritorious Community Service Award for her fund-raising efforts to benefit Mathews-Dickey and 200 area charities. Club President, CEO & Co-Founder Martin L. Mathews and Board Vice Chairman Rev. Earl Nance, Jr. present the honor. The Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club celebrated its 46th anniversary by initiating a campaign to fund the renovation of its facilities. The Club announced that Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Founder Jack Taylor pledged a $1 Million Facilities Fund Challenge Match during its 46th Anniversary Awards Program & Alumni Celebration on Feb. 18, 2006 at the Anheuser-Busch Corporate Headquarters. Ten outstanding alumni and 47 community leaders were also recognized at the reception. “To see the violent acts and negative influences to which so many youth are succumbing is troubling and fills us with a strong desire to find answers that can help us ‘Save the Children,’ which is the theme for this year’s program,” said Mathews-Dickey President, CEO & Co-Founder Martin L. Mathews. “At this pivotal moment in our history, we realize that we cannot continue to offer quality programs for St. Louis’ young people without preserving their home away from home - our facilities and grounds. We are very moved by Jack Taylor’s generosity to help us accomplish this goal.” Jack Taylor and the company he founded in St. Louis nearly 50 years ago, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, actively support the St. Louis community and local organizations like the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club. Taylor said that by issuing this $1 million challenge grant it is his hope that the long-term facilities needs of Mathews-Dickey will be fulfilled so the Club is able to continue its important work of serving and educating the youth in our community for many more years to come. Enterprise Director of Corporate Relations Alonzo Byrd made the announcement at the anniversary celebration just before Mathews’ closing remarks. Club member and Medal of Excellence Award Winner Marcus Hammonds stepped forward seconds later to present $95 in contributions he recruited for the cause. Mathews-Dickey President, CEO & Co-Founder Martin L. Mathews receives the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award from Special Agent in Charge Roland Corvington. The total repairs needed for the Kingshighway main, Union athletic and James ‘Cool Papa’ Bell Stadium facilities are estimated at $1.9 million. The Club must raise all of the first $1 million before it will receive the matching $1 million gift. The Taylor family and Enterprise Rent-A-Car have provided ongoing support to Mathews-Dickey for the past several years, including more than $360,000 in financial gifts throughout the past five years. That evening, ‘The Spirit of St. Louis’ award was presented to Robert Grote, Jr., a retired Alcan Aluminum president and long-time Mathews-Dickey board member and benefactor. The Meritorious Community Service Award is presented to Cheryl Polk, the United Way of Greater St. Louis’ executive vice president & chief operating officer, and two leaders receive the ‘In Appreciation of the Year’ honors: Stephanie Grise, attorney at law, Armstrong Teasdale; and Chip Self, owner, Logic Systems Sound & Lighting, Inc. The FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award w was presented to Mathews by Special Agent in Charge Roland Corvington. Robert Grote, Jr. accepts "The Spirit of St. Louis" Award. Donald Calloway, Jr., business litigation attorney, Thompson Coburn, LLP, presents remarks regarding the Club's impact on his growth and development on behalf of the 10 inductees in the Mathews-Dickey 2006 Outstanding Alumni Award slate. The slate of Outstanding Alumni Award Winners includes: Roderick Allen, director, business development, US Cellular; Donald Calloway, Jr., business litigation attorney, Thomas Coburn; Jeff Gunn, network analyst, SBC; Clarence Jones, agent, Aflac; Dominic LeNoir, assistant principal, University City High School; Alexandria Merritt, team leader II, General Mills, Inc.; Todd Swan, quantum portfolio manager, Wachovia Securities, LLC; LeJuan Strickland, territory manager, Salix Pharmaceuticals; Robin Thompson, coach, Beaumont High School; and Kevin Wright, staff sergeant, United States Army. The Brian White-Michael Fitzgerald Duo livened up the reception hour with jazz and blues favorites, and Lead Works Productions President Jamie ‘King James’ Dennis teamed up with Club PR & Special Events Director Bill Fronczak to perform the theme song, ‘Save the Children.’ The roll call of the remaining award winners included: MEMORIAL Mary Allen Memorial - Lee Hart-Shelton Hubert ‘Dickey’ Ballentine Memorial - Kittrel Moore Rose Mae Ballentine Memorial - Pat Washington Garland Barnes Memorial - Alvarez Jackson Bessemer Carter Memorial - Johnnie Pulley, Jr. Florence Carter Memorial - Deborah Mason Eugene Crymes Memorial - Anthony Daniels Larry Ford Memorial - Darmaine Clavelle George Green Memorial - Cory Henderson Marie Hankemeyer - Nina Dorsey Anna B. Hines Memorial - Betty Moore Catherine Hines Memorial - Lou Brislane Christine Jinkins Memorial - Terrika Mitchell Barbara Mathews Memorial - Sandra Goins Cerman F. Mathews Memorial - Barry Shelton Eugene Miller Memorial - Thomas Rhodes Rhodia Miller Memorial - Agnes Hughes William Patterson Memorial - Dennis Barton Osbie Savage, Sr. Memorial - Richard Hopkins Vernice Trice Memorial - Theresa Jerrod Mary Vercer Memorial - Diane Abernathy Pearl S. White Memorial - Harriett Crouch James Whiteside Memorial - Tabari Swift Verlie D. Williams Memorial - Alana Sutton Tommie Younger, Jr. Memorial - Carrie Blair Samella Zomphier Memorial - Beatrice Armstrong MEDALS OF EXCELLENCE Bronze Medalists - Marcus Hammonds and NaTasha ‘Joy’ Williams Silver Medalists - Vallisha Dennis and Terrell Washington Gold Medalists - Shasmond Barnett and Brandon Mayweather SPORTS AWARDS Mother of the Year - Tracy Wadlington-Henry (Accepted by Rev. Margaret Redmond) Father of the Year - John Sappington Baseball Hall of Fame - Katrina Walton Football Hall of Fame - William ‘Bill’ Mason (Presented postumously c/o Richard Robinson) Baseball Manager of the Year - Earl Green Boys’ Basketball Coach of the Year - Jeff Jones Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year - John Albert, III Football Coach of the Year - Cory White (Accepted by Robert White) Cheerleading Coordinator of the Year - Tracey Dickerson Mathews-Dickey serves more than 40,000 young men and women annually in the St. Louis-metropolitan area. The Club provides structured athletic, educational and cultural-enrichment activities. For more information, call Barbara A. Washington or Bill Fronczak at (314) 382-5952, ext. 234. For more information on the Bulldog Football & Cheerleading Campaign, Click Here. Archived: Mathews-Dickey Celebrates “Forever Young: Five for ’05” 43nd Annual Awards Banquet Weekend Celebration 42nd Annual Awards Banquet Weekend Celebration 41st Annual Awards Banquet Weekend Celebration © 2006 Mathews Dickey Boys' & Girls' Club site.