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Sandra and Leon Levine Honored At Cornerstone Celebration
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Michael Elder, Leon Levine, Sandra Levine and WSOC-TV's Vince Coakley
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Sandra and Leon Levine received the Jack Callaghan Cornerstone Award in front of a crowd of more than 700 people at Goodwill's 2009 Cornerstone Celebration on May 14 at The Westin Charlotte.
The highest honor given by Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, the award is presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated a passionate commitment to help people facing barriers to employment become independent and productive through the power of work.
Established in 1994, the Cornerstone Celebration luncheon recognizes individuals and corporations for their support of Goodwill’s mission of changing lives through the power of work.
Goodwill selected the Levine’s as the 2009 recipients of the Jack Callaghan Cornerstone Award because of their years of philanthropic support benefiting the people of the Carolinas.
“Sandra and Leon Levine have demonstrated compassion toward those in need for decades,” said Michael Elder, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. “We are pleased to honor them with our Jack Callaghan Cornerstone Award for their leadership and generosity.”
Among Charlotte’s most benevolent couples, Sandra and Leon Levine most recently helped launch the Critical Need Response Fund in December 2008 with a $1 million gift through their private foundation.
The founder and chairman emeritus of Family Dollar Stores, Inc., Leon Levine established The Leon Levine Foundation in 1980 and it has become one of the state’s most impactful charitable foundations. Active in numerous community activities, Sandra Levine serves in key leadership positions benefiting education, arts, healthcare and religious organizations throughout the Charlotte area.
The Cornerstone Award is named after Jack Callaghan, the first recipient of the honor. Callaghan was a television personality at WSOC-TV and ultimately served for years as the station manager of the local ABC-TV affiliate. He played a leadership role in numerous local, state and national community service organizations including United Way, Easter Seals and Goodwill. Having contracted polio later in his life, he became a
passionate advocate for people who experience barriers to employment
and independence.
The Corporate Champion Award was presented to McDonald's. Since 2000, McDonald's restaurants in the Charlotte area have hired nearly 100 people who came through Goodwill's services. These positions range from cooks to cashiers to management.
The Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Kay Carwile from Wachovia, who has volunteered for the last four years with Goodwill's banking and customer service training program.
Good Work! Awards were presented to three individuals who have received services and training from Goodwill and have excelled in the workplace. Andy Arnette, Julius Houston and Shell Richardson captured the crowd's emotions with their stories.
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