TeenWorks Holds 2012 Annual Kick-Off Dinner

More than 225 people will gather to celebrate the accomplishments of TeenWorks, a collaborative effort between organized labor in the Lehigh Valley and the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. Larry Bowa, former Major League Baseball manager, coach and player for the Philadelphia Phillies, will participate in a Question and Answer session, moderated by motivational speaker Billy Staples.
 
WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012
6-7 p.m.: Cocktails
7-8 p.m.: Dinner
8-9 p.m.: Program and Silent Auction

WHERE: Northampton Memorial Community Center
1601 Laubach Avenue
Northampton, PA 18067

WHO: Larry Bowa; Billy Staples; 225 volunteers and friends of the TeenWorks program; TeenWorks Board Members; and United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley staff.

Larry Bowa Bio:
Larry Bowa was born into baseball. His father, Paul Bowa, was a minor league infielder and manager for the St. Louis Cardinals and Larry himself started playing in Sacramento where he grew up. After college, he played briefly on a winter league team before being officially signed to the Philadelphia Phillies – a reputation as a powerhouse player soon followed. Larry went on to play shortstop for the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets before retiring with two Golden Glove awards and a then record for career games at shortstop (2222). He still maintains the National League record for fielding average in a career (0.980). Larry then returned to the Phillies in 2001 and found success as a manager, bringing the team within two games of the division title. He was honored as National League Manager of the Year by both Sporting News and the Baseball Prospectus Internet Baseball Awards. Larry served as an analyst for ESPN’s Baseball Tonight as well as a co-host on XM Baseball Talk Radio before beginning a career as a studio analyst for the MLB Network in January of last year.


Billy Staples Bio:
After years in baseball and a career as an actor (see him in “Hairspray”, “Coming to America”, “Gremlins II”, and as Lt. Columbo), Billy Staples found education. He spent 13 years teaching seventh grade English in the Pembroke Projects of Bethlehem, Pa. during which Billy was twice nominated for Disney’s Teacher of the Year award. Additionally, his tremendous work in helping troubled youth pursue higher education was featured in a five-part series on CNN. Determined to do more, Billy co-founded the “BEST” College Scholarship Organization, which had provided tuition aid for over 100 inner-city students. Now a literary icon as well, Billy is featured in the educational book and video “The Secret.” He also co-wrote the national sports best-seller, “Before the Glory”. Today, Billy travels giving motivational and educational speeches at colleges, universities, junior high and high schools. His innovative and influential teaching methods have been implemented on a county-wide basis.

TeenWorks:
TeenWorks began in 1999 as a collaborative effort between organized labor in the Lehigh Valley and the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. The partnership is funded entirely by labor unions in Lehigh and Northampton Counties and allocates grants to teens executing community service projects throughout the community. Members of the TeenWorks program gain experience in leadership, board governance, planning and teamwork; accountability and responsibility; programmatic and fiscal decision making; proposal writing; instilling pride and confidence in themselves; and improving the lives of those around them.