Goodwill Industries Features Rudy Giuliani at Champions Tribute
October 11, 2011
GREENVILLE, SC – October 27, 2011 – Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina will honor four residents and two businesses at the third annual Champions Tribute on October 27, 2011 at the TD Convention Center. The event will feature former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani as the keynote speaker with more than 700 community and business leaders in attendance to celebrate the successes of Goodwill Industries, its team members, partners and supporters.
“Goodwill strives to give a hand up, rather than a handout, to individuals in our community looking to better themselves through education, training and career placement services,” said Pat Michaels, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina. “The purpose of this annual awards event is to celebrate the personal successes of several people who have excelled and become champions of their own lives through Goodwill, and to acknowledge two companies who have acted as significant partners in Goodwill’s mission.”
Keynote speaker Giuliani, who served as Mayor of New York City from 1994-2001, will speak on the topic of “Principled Leadership in a Time of Crisis and Change,” a poignant topic following the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 tragedy in New York City. When terrorists crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and thousands of New Yorkers were killed, Giuliani immediately began leading the recovery of the city as it faced its darkest hour. He was widely lauded for his steady hand during challenging times. He was named “Person of the Year” by Time magazine, knighted by the Queen of England, dubbed “Rudy the Rock” by French President Jacques Chirac, and former first lady Nancy Reagan presented him with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Freedom Award.
At the Champions Tribute, Goodwill Industries will honor the successes of four individuals that have overcome adversity and found employment through Goodwill Industries, as well as recognize one local business that partners with Goodwill Industries to provide on-site training and employment opportunities. In addition to these five honorees, the Goodwill Industries Board has chosen SYS Constructors, Inc. as the recipient of the 2011 Goodwill Industries Champion Award for its service to Goodwill and to the community.
Goodwill Industries not only acts as an outlet for donations of gently-used merchandise, but also offers job training, placement and education to help people with disabilities and disadvantages achieve independence. In the 2010/2011 fiscal year, Goodwill produced record revenues which supported job training and placement services for 32,041 individuals in the community, resulting in 6,102 newly employed workers. These services have a potential $99.6 million economic impact in the 16 counties that Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina serves.
Tickets to the Goodwill Industries Champions Tribute are $150 each or a table of 10 can be purchased for $1,200. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.goodwillsc.org/championstribute.
