2022 Heroes Gala Presented By Lowe's
Hornets Sports & Entertainment and the Charlotte Hornets Foundation welcomed guests to Spectrum Center recently for the 14th Annual Hornets Heroes Gala, the foundation’s annual black-tie fundraiser where attendees sport their trendiest sneakers with their finest formal wear. The theme of this year’s event, which featured ESPN’s Malika Andrews as the master of ceremonies, was “A Night of S.T.A.R.S. (Swarming Together and Raising Support).” In addition to having the opportunity to mingle with Hornets players, coaches and executives, guests enjoyed musical entertainment by Spencer Ludwig and Apple Butter Soul, a silent auction, a sneaker contest, and delicious menu options presented by Hornets partner Levy and Carolina Farm Trust.
As it does every year, the Hornets Heroes Gala celebrated local community leaders who are making meaningful impacts in the Charlotte Hornets Foundation’s four focus areas. This year’s honorees were Francisco Alvarado (Education Hero), Zack Wyatt (Hunger Hero) General James F. Amos, USMC, Ret. (Military Hero) and Janelle Bartholomy (Wellness Hero).
Education Hero Francisco Alvarado is the President & CEO of Marand Builders, a general commercial contractor whose Marand Scholarship Fund is offered to Latin American and African American students from under-resourced backgrounds with plans to pursue a STEM major and career in a technical field. After starting with four scholarships in 2016, the fund has grown to 40 scholarships in 2022. Alvarado is also a member of the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council board and serves as co-chair of the Education Council.
Hunger Hero Zack Wyatt is the Founder and Executive Director of Carolina Farm Trust, a Charlotte-based nonprofit founded in 2015 that seeks to support local farmers and educate communities on the importance of local food and its accessibility. With passions for bringing communities together through food, the importance of equitable food access and improving local food systems, he works to unite government officials, industry leaders and fellow organizations with similar goals to generate tangible steps toward closing the hunger gap in North Carolina.
Military Hero General James F. Amos, USMC, Ret., was the 35th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps for four years before retiring in December 2014 after serving our country for more than 42 years. He spent the early part of his career flying fighter aircraft and went on to command all East Coast Marine combat forces before being nominated by the President to serve as Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps in 2010. Today, he remains active in veteran philanthropy work nationally and in his hometown of Charlotte.
Wellness Hero Janelle Bartholomy is a Registered Nurse with Novant Health who has been serving the Charlotte community since 2013. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Janelle received what was originally intended to be a two-week assignment getting a testing site up and running and then training others to take over. This evolved into a two-year assignment as Clinical Supervisor for several mass testing sites and then later vaccine sites that in some instances served over one thousand patients per day.
Gallery | 2022 Heroes Gala
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