The O.J. McDuffie Catch 81 Foundation provides community assistance to disadvantaged youth through the generous support of donors and sponsors. One sponsor in particular, BankAtlantic, has really stepped up to the plate and offered support to the Catch 81 Foundation in many ways. In addition to monetary support, the employees from BankAtlantic have volunteered and attended all of the Catch 81 Foundation fundraising events. These acts of kindness truly show BankAtlantic’s high level of dedication to improving the South Florida community.

BankAtlantic’s support has helped the Catch 81 Foundation put on events such as the Spring Celebrity Golf Classic, the Signature Grand Ghoul, O.J. McDuffie’s Strikes for Kids and the O.J. McDuffie Softball Slam. These events have raised thousands of dollars for community programs that assist underserved children.

Last month, BankAtlantic was the VIP Reception sponsor for the O.J. McDuffie Spring Celebrity Golf Classic, which took place at the Signature Grand in Davie, Florida. The event began with Jon Saxx captivating guests with his beautiful saxophone performance. Joe Rose entertained the crowds as the Master of Ceremonies. Celebrities and guests mingled and danced, while dining on gourmet food and enjoying a premium open bar.

Thank you BankAtlantic for all that you have done for the O.J. McDuffie Catch 81 Foundation.

About BankAtlantic

BankAtlantic, Florida’s most convenient bank, is one of the largest financial institutions headquartered in Florida. Through its broad network of community branches and conveniently located ATMs, BankAtlantic provides a full line of personal, small business and commercial banking products and services. BankAtlantic is open seven days a week and offers extended weekday hours. BankAtlantic is a member of the FDIC.

The 12^th Annual O.J. McDuffie Spring Celebrity Golf Classic was once again a successful fundraising event. The festivities began on Friday, April 1, when guests arrived at the VIP Reception sponsored by BankAtlantic, which was held at the beautiful Signature Grand in Davie, Fla. Celebrities, golfers, sponsors and foundation supporters mingled, ate, drank and danced the night away. Jon Saxx, world renowned saxophone artist, captivated guests with his absolutely amazing performance. Joe Rose kept the crowd entertained as the master of ceremonies.

Golfers started arriving mid-morning on April 2 at Inverrary Golf and Country Club in Lauderhill, Fla. The weather was cooperative and we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day. Premium goodie bags were handed out to golfers and celebrities upon Read the rest of this entry »

Professional athletes and celebrities are teeing up for the South Florida charity golf event of the year. The 12th Annual O.J. McDuffie Spring Celebrity Golf Classic will take place on April 2, 2011 at the Inverrary Country Club in Lauderhill, Florida. The VIP Reception, sponsored by Bank Atlantic, will take place the prior evening on April 1, 2010 at the Signature Grand. Tickets are $100 per person, or $150 for two.   They can be purchased in advance or at the door.

Food, drinks, prizes and networking opportunities are only the beginning to this fun-filled weekend. Teams will receive tickets Read the rest of this entry »

Players and fans came out on February 13, 2011 to participate in the O.J. McDuffie Co-ed Softball Slam presented by Publix. Eight teams competed, but only one team could take the championship title. The Original Fat Cats claimed the winning title, which now gives them the bragging rights of being undefeated. Team Publix played long and hard and wound up winning the second place trophy. The day was filled with food, prizes, friendly competition and even a DJ playing music to pump up the crowds and keep teams motivated.

Overall, everybody had a lot of fun. The weather could not have been more perfect.  The comradery and dedication to raise funds for the underserved children in South Florida was heartwarming. Thank you so much to our sponsors, teams, fans and supporters, who all helped make the O.J. McDuffie Co-ed Softball Slam a success.

We would like to give a special thanks to Team Ray Ray, who played in honor of Ray Dubose, who passed away on February 3, 2011. He was loved by all his friends and family and was especially close to many people from the Catch 81 Foundation.

The holiday season is in full swing and you are likely bombarded by parties, gift buying and lots of food! For most of us, this time of year is reason to celebrate. However, for many disadvantaged children in South Florida, there is not a lot of holiday cheer in their everyday lives. The O.J. McDuffie Catch 81 Foundation asks that you take time in your busy schedule to help make the holiday season a little brighter for the underserved children of South Florida. December is a month to give, so why not give to those who need it most. O.J. McDuffie and other Miami Dolphins greats will be at Buca Di Beppo on December 13, 2010 to raise awareness for the children’s needs in the South Florida community. Bring a new unwrapped toy to Buca di Beppo between 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and get a restaurant discount. You will also be able to get autographs from O.J. and his teammates for coming out to support the cause. The toy drop off box is currently located in the lobby at Buca di Beppo and will remain there through December 13.

Event Details

Time: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Date: Monday, December 13

Place: Buca di Beppo, 3355 South University Drive, Davie, FL

October was an extremely busy month for the Catch 81 Foundation! We had the Strikes for Kids bowling fundraiser on October 10 and the Signature Grand Ghoul on October 25. We had an amazing turnout at both events, which would not have been possible without our guests, supporters and sponsors.

On October 10, 2010 bowlers grabbed their bowling shoes and their bowling balls to support the efforts of the O.J. McDuffie Catch 81 Foundation. The first place winner was E.F. Tire and Auto with Bill Martinez, Sam Logiurato, Dave Peters and Eddie Deatley on the team. Eddie Deatley also took the prize for high game winner! Overall the event grossed more than $27,000, which will be used for a variety of community efforts. In addition to using the money to fund our holiday donations to Jack and Jill Children’s Center and the SOS Children’s Villages, some of the money will also be used to fund the charter school that is in the works.

We were ecstatic at the turnout for the spooktacular Signature Grand Ghoul Halloween event. O.J. McDuffie and Ricky Williams hosted Read the rest of this entry »

The Strikes for Kids Bowling event is just around the corner! Every year, the O.J. McDuffie Catch 81 Foundation hosts the Strikes for Kids Bowling event to help raise money for underserved children in South Florida. The event is put on so participants can mingle with celebrities, have fun bowling and spend their afternoon raising money for the children in their community. Can you think of a better way to spend this Sunday? Probably not!

Each team participating in the Strikes for Kids Bowling event will get to play with a celebrity bowler. There will be free food, free drinks, giveaways and goodie bags for all participating bowlers! You won’t want to miss out on one of the hottest fundraisers of the season.

The confirmed list of celebrities includes Cliff Floyd, Reggie Givens, Davone Bess, Patrick Cobbs, Julie Durda, Bobby Harden, Lamar Thomas, Twan Russell, Ki-Jana Carter, Sid Rosenberg, Brian Poli-Dixon, Oronde Gadsden, Mike Williams,

Jim Kiick, Mark Duper, Kerry Glenn, Daryl Porter and Zach Crockett. Of course, O.J. McDuffie will be there too!

We wouldn’t be able to put on this event without the help of our sponsors. We want to thank Ed Morse Bayview Cadillac, which is

the title sponsor of the event. Diamond Strike Lanes, Storm and Wal-Mart are also sponsors that are helping to make the Strikes for Kids bowling event possible.

Here are the event details:

Time: 12:00 p.m.

Date: October 10, 2010

Place: Diamond Strike Lanes, Pompano Beach, Fla.

We will see you on Sunday!

Now that fall is here, it’s not too early to start thinking about Halloween. At the Signature Grand Ghoul in 2009, we had some pretty wild costumes and a pretty wild time at the Halloween event. There was dancing, drinking, mingling with celebrities and tons of great prizes and contests. Zach Thomas, Michael Irvin, Sam Madison, Sean Hill, Jason Taylor, Shawn Wooden and many more have been past Signature Grand Ghoul guests from the NFL.

This year, O.J. McDuffie and Ricky Williams will co-host that annual event that benefits the O.J. McDuffie Catch 81 Foundation, the Ricky Williams Foundation and Jack & Jill Children’s Center. In 2009, the turnout was phenomenal and this year we are expecting over 1,000 guests!

When you arrive at the 100,000 square foot mansion, you will be transported into the ultimate Halloween destination.  You can arrive hungry and thirsty because there will be gourmet food and an open bar for your enjoyment. You can your groove on while the DJ plays your favorite hits.

In addition to having the time of your life, you can feel good knowing that you are supporting three fantastic charities who serve the underprivileged children of South Florida. The O.J. McDuffie Catch 81 Foundation’s mission is to support and create programs to enhance the quality of life for the children of South Florida and to empower them to pursue the best in themselves. The Ricky Williams Foundation provides tutorial services, public speaking programs and sports camps that promote health and fitness. The Jack & Jill Children’s center was established in 1942 and its mission is to break the cycle of poverty for children of low-income working families in Broward County through the provision of family-oriented child care services and family intervention and support.

Now that we have you convinced you that this is the place to be for the best Halloween party in South Florida, it is time to purchase your tickets. Log onto www.grandghoul.org or call (954) 424-4000.

Event Details

Time: 7 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Date: October 25, 2010

Place: The Signature Grand in Davie, Florida

For more information, please visit www.catch81foundation.org/event_grand_ghoul.html

Earlier this year, many kind supporters joined with the Catch 81 Foundation to help a brave little girl. Last week, Brilei celebrated her first birthday. This is Brilei’s story in the words of her mother.

This year our family decided to celebrate Brilei’s first birthday a bit different than most. To us it was not only a birthday, but a celebration of the Journey we traveled this past year of her life. A dear friend of ours Joe Elkind, offered his beautiful home to us to host her party. We had a wonderful dinner and Mr. Jon Saxx came out to play the saxophone for Brilei, which touched many hearts. We also had a wonderful turnout of our friends and family who have loved and supported us through it all. It was a beautiful evening.

The evening of her arrival was very exciting for all of us. Although there were a few complications the outcome was the most beautiful perfect little angel. She was 6 lbs. 10 ounces of pure heaven. With a head full of the deepest chocolate brown hair and eyes the color of cocoa, we instantly fell in love. How were we so blessed?

After a long night of routine events, her first bath and different tests, I was finally able to have my baby back in my arms. My feeling was I never want to let this precious gift go. The next morning in all our glory and as we were down to our last few hours before being discharged, a nurse came in to administer her last test. They were checking her heart, as they routinely do, only this time was different. The nurse came in to let us know that they had heard a murmur. They told us they would need to call in the cardiologist Read the rest of this entry »

The O.J. McDuffie Catch 81 Foundation is in need of in-kind donations as well as monetary donations. The Catch 81 Foundation’s mission is to help underserved children in the South Florida community. Our sponsors, events and generous donors fuel our success in giving back to the children who need our help.

The following list indicates the items that are most needed.

• Blankets and Bedding
• Brushes
• Clothes
• Combs
• Deodorant
• Diapers
• Food (non-perishable)
• Hair care products
• School Supplies
• Toothbrushes
• Toys

You can drop these items off at our corporate offices or email us for more details at info@catch81foundation.com.

O.J. McDuffie Catch 81 Foundation

8201 Peters Road

Suite 1000

Plantation, FL, 33324

877-584-2301