FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Aug. 18, 2020
WACH FOX is pleased to announce that on Sunday, August 23 at 6 p.m., South Carolina's only Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers will be honored for his accomplishments, both on and off the field.
Due to the coronavirus, the 29th annual George Rogers Foundation charity event, which raises proceeds to benefit first-generation college students, was forced to be postponed.
Instead, for the first time in the foundation's history, an hour-long TV special will air with special guest appearances from several Heisman Trophy winners, Grammy-award winning musicians, hall-of-famers and many more.
Like every fundraiser Rogers has, there will be music. University of South Carolina alum and songwriter Patrick Davis will be performing two songs, including one that is a Gamecock fan favorite.
Throughout the program viewers will be able to donate to The George Rogers Foundation as well as make bids online in a silent auction held by 32 Auctions. All proceeds will go directly to Rogers' foundation. Some of the items for this year's silent auction include a replica Heisman Trophy signed by George Rogers, a signed helmet by Gamecock greats Connor Shaw and Marcus Lattimore and a signed photo by Darius Rucker. A direct link to both donate and take part in the silent auction will be published the day of the show and can be found at the top of wach.com.
“Everyone in South Carolina knows the impact George Rogers has on the field, but what he does off of it is equally as great," explained WACH FOX Sports Director Mitch Brown, who joined the station last summer. "WACH FOX is thrilled to be hosting an incredible fundraiser that will help first-generation college students reach their goals and dreams.”
This year also marks the 40-year anniversary of Rogers winning the Heisman Trophy. Throughout the hour-long special, former teammates, broadcasters and even Rogers himself will share stories from that 1980 season.
Brown, along with WACH FOX sportscaster Mike Uva, will host Sunday's show, which will also be live-streamed on wach.com/live. The special will include appearances from nearly 20 guests who hope to help Rogers raise as much money as possible for a cause that means so much to him.
"When Michele Beagle of the George Rogers Foundation reached out to us in late spring with an idea to bring this special event on air, we knew we couldn't pass up on the opportunity," said Uva, who has been with WACH since 2016. "Getting to know George and his wife Brenda over the years has been a real treat because you quickly learn how much they care about helping others."
As a way of giving back, the Super Bowl champion running back established the George Rogers Foundation in 1991.
Its mission is to provide scholarships to first-generation college students. Since its inception, the foundation has provided scholarships to nearly 500 recipients. Though it is a small organization, over the past 5 years alone, the foundation has awarded a quarter million in scholarships. Additionally, the foundation has also pledged a $75,000 donation to the Gamecock Student-Athlete Promise (ensuring that student- athletes earn their undergraduate degrees).
George was not only a first generation college student (the first in his family to graduate from college), but he was able to return to the University of South Carolina after leaving the NFL to earn his undergraduate degree, so he continues to support these two initiatives.