The Archdiocesan Catholic Youth Organization in conjunction with the Philadelphia 76'ers will
celebrate the 12th Annual Hall of Fame Awards Dinner on

Wednesday, March 16, 2005
5:30 p.m. Silent Auction - 7:00 p.m. Dinner
8:15 p.m. Awards Ceremony
Springfield Country Club
400 West Sproul Road
Springfield, Delaware County, PA

The purpose of the banquet is to raise funds for the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) programs and to honor adults who espouse the virtues and values of the CYO and the Catholic Church. The CYO utilizes sports and coaching to develop the spiritual and character formation of young people and help to prepare them for the challenges of today and tomorrow. For more information on the CYO Hall of Fame Awards, call 215-965-4637.

This year's Hall of Fame inductees are:

Tom Gola: a true legend in Philadelphia sports, Tom Gola represents the very essence of what the CYO has strived to accomplish in its mission of combining sports and faith. Tom attended and played basketball for LaSalle College. In his junior year, LaSalle won the NCAA title. Tom was named MVP and became College Player of the Year. Tom continued his winning ways after college leading the Philadelphia Warriors to the 1956 NBA Championship. This title made him one of only two players to win an NIT, NCAA, and NBA championship (and CYO championship!). Tom also played with the New York Knicks during his NBA career and was named to the NBA All-Pro team five times. In 1956, Tom returned to LaSalle as head coach for two seasons and led them to a number two ranking during the '68-'69 season. Tom continued to show his commitment to the city of Philadelphia by running in the Republican primaries for Philadelphia mayor in 1983. Tom and Caroline are members of St. Cecilia Parish. Tom has received many honors, including being named to the Madison Square Garden Hall of Fame and the Basketball Hall of Fame, and having LaSalle College name its athletic complex the Tom Gola Arena. The CYO is proud that it will now also be awarding the "Tom Gola Humanitarian Award" to an individual who shows the humanity and courage that Tom Gola has shown by his own example.

Frank Corace:a respected businessman, acclaimed athlete and devoted family man are all terms that describe Frank Corace. The Monsignor Bonner graduate won numerous awards in basketball during his high school years. In 1960 alone, Frank was All-Catholic, All City, All State, Delaware County Player of the Year and his team won the Catholic League and City Title Championships. After high school Frank continued to shine at LaSalle College where he once again proved his prowess on the basketball court. Frank continued to play professional basketball from 1964 to 1970 in the Eastern Professional Basketball League in Wilmington and Allentown where he became a player/coach. Frank continued his coaching career at Gwynedd Mercy Academy from 1982-85 and again in 1993-94. In 1991 Monsignor Bonner High School retired Frank's uniform. Frank is now Director at Valley Forge Asset Management Co. where he has been since 1976. He is heavily involved in supporting charitable organizations, including the United Cerebral Palsy Organization. Frank and his wife Jovita have been married 40 years and have three daughters. Michelle, Trish and Colleen as well as three grandchildren, Sean, Quinn, and Shea. Frank and Jovita Corace are members of St. Rose of Lima Parish in North Wales.

Jim White: service to community and church has been integral in the life of Jim White. Whether giving talks at his home parish of St. Katharine of Siena in Wayne or at local elementary and high schools, Jim works with the Pro-Life Union of Montgomery County, Generation Life and Pennsylvanians for Human Life to promote chastity, abstinence and pro-life issues. Jim's faith permeates all facets of his life- professionally and personally. Jim White has generously given his time and financial support to numerous schools, parishes and social service agencies. Jim enthusiastically supports organizations which educate, feed or empower the underprivileged. The family construction business of JJ White, Inc., founded in 1920, is the largest contracting employer in the Mid-Atlantic region. Jim and his employees pride themselves on never having lost a customer due to dissatisfaction Jim and his wife, Megan, are parents to Jim, Peter, Victoria, Christopher and Maura.

Sister Margaret Maura Kirby (Sister Peg): a Religious Sister of Mercy for nearly 30 years, Sister Margaret Maura has demonstrated a commitment to the most vulnerable in our world - people with disabilities, the poor and the young. Catherine McCauley, foundress of the Religious Sisters of Mercy, stated, "if you really love God, you will thus prove your love, for the proof of love is deed…Love of God…and love of neighbor". Sr. Margaret Maura, in deed, embodies the spirit of Catherine McCauley. Early in life in Philadelphia, Sister Peg was instilled with a love of God and responsibility to neighbor by her parents. Her love for those with disabilities grew as teacher and later as principal at St. Katherine Day School in Wynnewood. Sister Peg shared her gifts with the Office for Youth and Young Adults by starting the TODAY Program, an Archdiocesan-wide program focusing on providing social, spiritual and educational experiences for disabled youth. She offered disability sensitivity awareness workshops called "Welcome to My World" to hundreds of groups of all ages throughout the Archdiocese. She coordinated numerous youth and adult conferences locally as well as leading youth groups to World Youth Day. Regardless of the conference, service trip or parish visit, Sister Peg continued to advocate for people with disabilities and raise the bar for inclusion. Currently, Sister Peg is a learning strategies specialist at Mercy Vocational High School and Stewardship Coordinator for St. Timothy Parish. The TODAY Program continues to flourish under Sister Peg's leadership. Her influence on the youth and young adults of the Archdiocese has been profound.

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Contact
Marie Kelly
Associate Director
215-587-3747