6th Annual Golden Child Award Tourney to Assist Henderson

Ron Bailey, Publisher

Bryant Matthews, '05 Pro-Am MVP with Golden Child Award Fourndation founder and president, Bill Wright.

June 8, 2006 – Over the past five years, the Golden Child Award tournament has been a godsend for children in need. The event, a three day hoops spectacular yearly assists the family of a child who has suffered a significant physical and mental challenge, and shown perseverance in doing so.

This year, the young person being served is Eric Henderson, a talented, well known Bowie High School basketball player. The young man suffered a head injury playing ball February 1, 2006, and later was found unconscious. He was then raced to the hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain.

Eric has regained consciousness, and is engaged in the ongoing fight of his life at Washington’s National Rehabilitation Hospital. In support of he and his family’s struggle, the Golden Child Award Foundation (a non profit 501©3 organization) has determined proceeds from this year year’s event will be provided to the Henderson’s in hope of defraying past and future medical expenses, as well as upcoming educational costs.

The Largo Lions, '05 Golden Child Award high school division champs, are pictured here in Trinity College's excellent gym facility

This year’s Golden Child Awards event starts Friday, June 16, 2006, with two Pro-Am teams competing, starting at 7:00 pm. Saturday finds high school and Pro-Am teams battling from 9:45 am to 9:00 pm. The high school division championship and Pro-Am Feature Gold Matchup games will be held Sunday the 18th, with the high school teams initiating action at 1:00 pm. All competition will be held at Trinity University, 125 Michigan Avenue, Washington, DC.

An impressive list of high school aged teams have entered the event, including returning champion Largo High School, Oxon Hill, Dunbar (DC), Benjamin Cardozo, Progressive Christian Academy, Flint Hill Academy, Crossland and Hoop Booth (an AAU team). The Pro Am segment will boast the likes of professionals Bryant Mathews (last year’s MVP), Brian Chase, Shaq of And-1 fame, long time NBA veteran, Ennis Whatley, and others.

Bill Wright seen here with Mike Lewis (rt.) '05's Feature Gold Matchup, MVP

Most heartening is the scheduled appearance of Eric Henderson himself – his first venture away from hospitals since the accident. Come out and support him while he and his family are awarded monetary support at halftime of Sunday’s Pro-Am game. Past recipients are expected to be present as well, thereby completing the redemptive circle the Golden Child Awards has attempted to make possible.

For further information, please access www.goldenchildawards.org. While the Golden Child Awards are sponsored by Converse, PEPCO, Coca-Cola, State Farm Insurance, and World Gym, contributions large and small are welcome, and can be forwarded to:

Golden Child Awards Foundation
PO Box 90113
Washington, DC, 20090-0113

Come on out, and support Eric Henderson, past awardees, and the great work the foundation and its president/founder, Bill Wright, are doing to assist young people faced with life altering challenges. It's only $5 for all day admitance; a pittance to support Golden Child Awards Foundation's mission, and see a plethora of great basketball. See you there!