Sports panel raises $135K for Clara Maass

BELLEVILLE, NJ — While the annual Clara Maass Medical Center Golf Invitational was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Super Bowl champions don’t like to sit on the sidelines. In lieu of the golf invitational, the first-ever Clara Maass Medical Center Virtual Sports Panel was hosted by former New York Giant and two-time Super Bowl champion David Diehl on Aug. 17.

Diehl was joined by popular sports analyst Mike Garafolo, of the NFL Network, hosting an exclusive virtual sports panel, where attendees enjoyed the experts’ inside scoop on the upcoming NFL season. 

The event generated $135,000 to support the critical needs of Clara Maass Medical Center’s health care heroes, who are on the forefront of this global crisis as they continue to provide state-of-the-art care for patients. 

“I wish to extend my heartfelt appreciation to David Diehl, Mike Garafolo, all of our supporters and to those that attended the virtual sports panel,” CMMC President and CEO Mary Ellen Clyne said.

“The virtual sports panel was a creative, new way to raise needed funds to support our heroes in health care in various ways. Given the new direction of this year’s event, we greatly appreciate David’s contributions and the outstanding support that we have received from our community,” CMMC foundation and development Vice President Celeste Oranchak said.

An Essex County resident, Diehl has been a strong supporter of Clara Maass Medical Center since his playing days and currently serves as an ambassador for RWJBarnabas Health and the Matthew J. Morahan III Health Assessment Center for Athletes. He speaks regularly to young athletes, parents and coaches on topics such as leadership, sportsmanship, the importance of concussion education and cardiac screenings for young athletes, and healthy tips to optimize performance.

“It was my pleasure to host this live virtual sports panel to help raise funds in support of our health care heroes,” Diehl said. “What could be more important? Even though we had to do things a little differently this year, the need is still great and I was thrilled to offer support in this way and I’m so thankful to our sponsors who came through as well.”

Diehl, who spent his entire 11-year NFL career with the New York Giants, won two Super Bowl Championships, in 2008 and 2012, and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2009. In 2012, he was also the recipient of the prestigious Wellington Mara NFL Man of the Year Award.

“This year the pandemic knocked out the golf portion of the event, but if you think that would stop Diehl, you obviously forgot this is a guy who played nearly every position on the line over his career, including left tackle both times the NY Giants won the Super Bowl, and the second time with a broken thumb,” Garafolo said. “This is too vital for our front-line workers for us to sit on the sidelines. I was honored to be a part of it.”

  Clara Maass Medical Center, COVID-19