Hall of Fame Ceremonies
Media Coverage
"It's a tremendous honor to be asked to participate with the others in honoring these people. Ours hats are off to the volunteers and everyone involved for putting on something this great for people who have worked so hard for so long... for those who have shown the public 'don't feel sorry for us, we can do whatever we want and have fun doing it'."-- Gordie Howe, 1999 Honorary Co-Chairperson
The 2000 Hall of Fame dinner - scheduled for Thursday, September 28 - will be held at Penna's of Sterling Heights (38400 Van Dyke Road). And if the inaugural dinner is any indication, this year's ceremony is destined to be another sold-out success!
Troy's San Marino Club served as host to the 1999 awards dinner. While the Hall of Fame originally expected a crowd of 200-250 to attend the first event, about 500 guests packed the hall (and many were unfortunately turned away in the final weeks because of space restrictions).
The inaugural ceremony was both upbeat and emotional. Gordie and Colleen Howe, "Mr. and Mrs. Hockey", and Red Wing Hall of Famer Bill Gadsby served as Honorary Chairpersons and presented the inductees with their plaques. With WOMC Radio's Mark "Doc" Andrews serving as Master of Ceremonies, guests were treated to heartfelt video presentations narrated by Detroit's TV sports reporters, including Dan Miller (WJBK-TV), Bernie Smilovitz (WDIV-TV), Don Shane (WXYZ-TV), and Tim Swore (WKBD-TV).
Headed by presenting sponsor Unisys, several companies – including the Detroit Free Press, Bank One, the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, and Detroit's major professional sports teams – joined founding sponsor Wright & Filippis in offering corporate support to the new Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame found itself squarely in the media spotlight in 1999. Radio and TV stations joined virtually every area newspaper in providing support. Media exposure was not limited to the Detroit area – outlets in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Flint and Saginaw also brought news of the Hall of Fame to the public. And the organization reached beyond the bounds of Michigan when the Washington Times National Weekly featured the Hall of Fame in a full-page, four-color story!
The media exposure, combined with support from the statewide groups, helped draw the large crowd to the 1999 ceremony. With the continued and growing support of the corporate community, the media, the groups representing the disabled, and the general public, the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame expects to host an even bigger and better event in 2000 – and promises to make a difference in the lives of people throughout the state for many years to come.
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