2010 Hall of Fame Recap

The 12th Annual Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Awards Dinner was a huge success. The sold out event on Thursday, October 28, 2010 at the Troy Marriott in Troy, Michigan welcomed Detroit Mayor Dave Bing who addressed the audience and delivered a great message about "Rebuilding".

Radio personality and emcee Big Al Muskavito kept the crowd entertained as did ADN's Honorary Global Ambassador, Julian Pavone, "The World's Youngest Drummer and Inventor!"®, who, along with Ty Brown as "Michael Jackson" and surprise guest Charles Davis of The Contours had everyone dancing in their seats during dinner.

To introduce the first-ever, Tony Filippis Sr. Corporate Leadership Award, AJ Filippis honored his father the late Tony Filippis Sr., founder of the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame, and recognized his mother Frances Filippis. Meredith Hughes, ADN Board Member and friend of Tony Filippis Sr. humbly accepted the award on behalf of Unisys Corporation who was recognized for its significant contributions to the community by demonstrating leadership and commitment to the advancement of persons with disabilities.

Continuing the program, Angeline LeVasseur and Adam Rose were recognized as the Mark "Doc" Andrews Rising Star Award recipients. This award recognizes a young person who has demonstrated extraordinary effort, achievement and commitment as an athlete with a disability.

The Pat McDonald Female and Roger McCarville Male Athlete of the Year Award recipients, Melissa Stockwell and Mike Schultz, respectively, were honored for their outstanding athletic achievement from the past year. At the top of Melissa's accomplishments for the year is competing at the Paratriathlon World Championships in Budapest where she took 1st Place and is now the new World Champion. Mike took 1st Place at the ESPN Winter X Games in Adaptive Snocross and Adaptive Moto X Super X Finals.

When you meet Chris Casteel, you will not only be impressed with his character and drive as an amputee athlete, but also with his willingness to introduce others who face physical challenges to the lifetime benefits of sports. Chris continually goes above and beyond to help persons with disabilities and make their lives better through peer visitation and recreational activities. Chris began peer visiting with other amputees while still in the hospital recovering from his own injuries in 1988. For this and many reasons, Chris Casteel was honored as the Rick Knas Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

Established in 1999, the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame has inducted over 40 athletes who share a passion for life and a dedication to inspire others through their words, actions and giving back to the greater community. This year, the Athletes with Disabilities Network welcomed Glen Ashlock as the Michigan Hall of Fame Inductee and Dave Kiley as the National Hall of Fame Inductee. Glen and Dave are not only a "Who's Who" in their sports but also meet strict criteria for integrity and contributions to society. Each will be enshrined for their athletic accomplishments.

For more information on the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame or read the complete athlete biographies, please visit www.adnpage.org.

About Athletes with Disabilities Network
Athletes with Disabilities Network (ADN) was formed by combining Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame and Extremity Events Network. ADN's mission is to promote a better quality of life by creating opportunities for people with physical disabilities. Programs include Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame, Extremity Games, Mentoring and Outreach, Adaptive Sports Coalition and Collegiate Scholarships. For more information on ADN and its programs, please visit www.adnpage.org.

About Athletes with Disabilities Network
Athletes with Disabilities Network (ADN) was formed by combining Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame and Extremity Events Network. ADN's mission is to promote a better quality of life by creating opportunities for people with physical disabilities. Programs include Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame, Extremity Games, Mentoring and Outreach, Adaptive Sports Coalition and Collegiate Scholarships. For more information on ADN and its programs, please visit www.adnpage.org.