On Tuesday night, ESPN announced the recipient of the Sports Humanitarian of the Year award, which was named after the late, great Muhammad Ali.
Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano was chosen for his hard work and commitment to making a positive impact in the community.
OUR CAPTAIN! @MarkGio05 has been named the @ESPNCitizenship #SportsHumanitarian Of The Year!
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) July 12, 2017
Congrats Gio - you inspire us all. pic.twitter.com/HYFkawEbcS
As a result, ESPN will donate $100,000 (USD) to his Team Giordano program, which has positively influenced the lives of ~1,900 children in Calgary.
I'll defer to the Flames' PR team for more details:
Through this, Giordano will be able to direct a $100,000 (USD) grant from ESPN to his Team Giordano program, which has impacted the lives of 1,900 high-needs students in Calgary. PGA Tour Golfer Ernie Els, Arizona Cardinals’ wideout Larry Fitzgerald and New York Mets’ outfielder Curtis Granderson were the other finalists. “I am so incredibly honoured to receive this award,… said Giordano. “To be mentioned in the same sentence as Muhammad Ali is something I could never imagine. Mr. Ali was more than just an athlete, he was a global icon that led numerous humanitarian efforts to better the lives of thousands around the world. I would like to thank the Ali family and ESPN along with congratulating all nominees for their community efforts. I share this award with the Calgary Flames organization, the Flames ownership group and all Calgarians as I am fortunate to live in a first class city that on a daily basis strives to make our community better. Most importantly, I would like to thank my wife Lauren, whose tireless efforts have helped make what our Team Giordano program is today.…
As good as Giordano is on the ice, it appears he's even better off of it.
He will again be recognized for his efforts tonight at The ESPYS (8 ET, 6MT.)
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