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Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Chipper, McCann, Francoeur on the social scene
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The McCanns and Rally Foundation CEO Dean Crowe. Photo by Karla Bonner
A number of Braves players are donating their time to charity in the off-season.
Catcher Brian McCannand wife Ashley served as honorary co-chairs for the second annual Benefit Bash with Mizuno Big League Players. The event, which raised $ $183,000 for the Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research, was held Nov. 13 at the Atlanta History Center.
During the gala the crowd heard from Avery Schroeder, 15. has already faced a lifetime’s worth of struggle. The Lovett School freshman, diagnosed three years ago with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, has since endured 25 spinal taps, at least 75 rounds of chemotherapy, eight blood transfusions and three platelets transfusions.
Throughout her journey Avery has kept her positive outlook. Now that she’s done with treatment, she’s back in the swing of things. She enjoys cheerleading and running track and appeared as a “Rally Kid” at the gala.
Braves players in attendance included Chipper Jones, Blaine Boyer, Kelly Johnson and Brandon Jones and former pitching coach Leo Mazzone, a Rally Foundation spokesman.
Leo and Chipper. Photo by Karla Bonner
Key committee members included Harriet Arthur, Julie Pederson, Dreama Gibson, Joy Posthauer, Carole Anne Orsborn and Nicole Chitty.
Dean Crowe is the Rally Foundation’s founder and CEO.
In other news, Jeff Francoeur will headline a VIP meet-n-greet before the second annual Rock4Research bash, planned for Nov. 28 at Wild Bill’s nightclub in Duluth.
The event benefits the Children’s Tumor Foundation and is organized by a group called The Tumornators. The organization was started by local brothers Ben and Chad Leathers, to support their brother, Drew, 21.
Drew Leathers’s battle with neurofibromatosis has involved numerous surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy. He’s a student and Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, but faces another spinal surgery this winter and may have to take a medical leave.
Francoeur and Chad Leathers were teammates at Parkview High School and have remained friends. Francoeur donated $500 to The Children’s Tumor Foundation on behalf of the Tumornators for every home run he hit in the 2007 season.
Other notables planning to attend Rock4Research include former UGA All American and Tampa Bay Buccaneers right tackle Matt Stinchcomb, former Atlanta Falcon Morten Andersen and Braves catcher and Parkview graduate Clint Sammons.
