Fight for Five campaign to bring Congo awareness to Dallas

by Staff of DFW International

The Fight For Five campaign has chosen Dallas as the city that will launch global awareness about the Congo, where horrific atrocities continue to take place every day. The first global awareness event will take place on November 12 at Bengal Coast at 6 p.m. Food, drinks, and entertainment will be provided, as well as valet parking. (Cocktail attire is required.) Donations are $100 per ticket. Tickets can be purchased at www.fightforfive.org.

The goal of the Fight For Five campaign is to create global awareness about the Congo and to raise funds for the Mwamba Sports and Education Academy, which will be built on 20 acres of land in Lubumbashi, Congo and will accommodate 40 students. Ex-NFL player Patrice Majondo-Mwamba is Congolese, and has recruited the support of dozens of NFL players to support Fight For Five. Special guest speakers include five-time NFL Pro Bowler Al Wilson, SMU football coach Jeff Reinebold, and Congolese SMU football linebacker Youri Yenga. Other special guests include Montrae Holland of the Dallas Cowboys, SMU men’s basketball coach Matt Doherty, actor Shin Koyamada (The Last Samurai), and ESPN 360 producer Yaron Deskalo.

NFL Pro Bowler Al Wilson stated, “People need to know what is going on in the Congo today. That is why I am committed to going to the Congo next year and shine a light on what’s happening. Fight For Five is a great campaign and a great effort. I’m glad to be a part of the campaign.” Wilson has committed himself to joining Mwamba in the Congo for the groundbreaking of the academy. A Stanford medical team headed by Ellie Taft Reinebold (Director of the CVICU) will also be accompanying Mwamba. ESPN 360 will be filming the Fight Fight For Five campaign in the United States and will accompany Mwamba to the Congo in early March. The special will air in April 2010 on ESPN 360.

Other Fight For Five fundraisers will be held in central California as well as Miami. The Fight For Five Campaign will end in Dallas during All Star Week in mid-February when Fight For Five hosts a fundraiser in Dallas that includes Texas Tech Alumni football players. Those players currently include Wes Welker (New England Patriots), Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers), Darcel McBath (Denver Broncos), Keyunta Dawson (Indianapolis Colts), and Joselio Hanson (Philadelphia Eagles). Other special guests will include Head Coach Mike Leach as well as a current list of 17 other Texas Tech alumni football players that played with Patrice Majondo-Mwamba. Dallas was chosen due to the tremendous amount of Texas Tech alumni that currently reside in Dallas.