Event Details
Wondering what to expect at 2022 Dinner of Champions in Harrisonburg, VA?
You’ve come to the right place.
Here is everything you need to know including the schedule of events, our honoree and how to register as a participant, sponsor or volunteer.
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Join Us
Attend
As a Guest
$150 individual ticket
As a Sponsor
Our sponsors make this event possible. Through cash or in-kind donations, sponsors allow us to direct more dollars to fuel breakthroughs and help those affected by MS live their best lives.
Sponsorship opportunities available include recognition benefits and so much more. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society would love to customize your benefits as appropriate to your unique marketing and community outreach goals.
For questions about sponsorship, contact McKenna Kendrick to learn more.
As a Volunteer
Each year, thousands of people across the country join the MS volunteer team. From planning event details and calling past participants to providing support for at the event, volunteers make it happen, and are the foundation of why MS fundraising events are so successful.
Contact us to learn how you can get involved.
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What to Expect
What's Included
Harrisonburg's Dinner of Champions was established in 1994. Each year, we come together to honor local champions with a warm and meaningful acknowledgement of their contributions to our community. Businesses and individuals sponsor the event to both recognize the Honoree and support the mission of the National MS Society. Since its inception, Harrisonburg Dinner of Champions has raised more than $2.3 million dollars.
May 10, 2022
Venue:
2022 Dinner of Champions in Harrisonburg, VA
JMU Festival Conference and Student Center
1301 Carrier Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22807What to Wear
Formal event, black tie optional
Tickets & Tables
Ticket and table sales close on May 2, 2022. Contact McKenna Kendrick at 540-660-2011 if interested in purchasing a table/tickets after this date.
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Schedule of Events
The gala will begin with a cocktail reception followed by a dinner and program.
Cocktail reception: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner and program: 7:00pm - 9:00 pm
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Honoree
Charles A. "Charlie" Martorana
Charles A. “Charlie” Martorana is the retired Valley Region Market President of Blue Ridge Bank, a role he held since 2018 where he drew on his extensive leadership experience to manage numerous production team members. From 1997 to 2014, he served as Senior Vice President, Harrisonburg Market Executive with Union Bank & Trust and its predecessors. While navigating internal changes and corporate acquisitions, he led a team to grow the deposit portfolio to over $40 million and the loan portfolio to over $100 million. Previously he was Vice President, Valley Area Commercial Loans at NationsBank from 1987-1997.
During the early years of his career, Mr. Martorana worked in Florida as a Management Researcher in the Management Analysis Department at Orlando Regional Medical Center, followed by Assistant Vice President with Sun Bank where he set his course for a lifelong career in the banking industry, ultimately landing in the Harrisonburg area.
Before moving to the Shenandoah Valley from the Sunshine State in 1987, Mr. Martorana received his Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Florida and enjoyed the unique opportunity to participate in a summer study program in Poznan, Poland. He also holds an MBA from the Roy E. Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida.
Since 1987, Mr. Martorana has served in numerous community advisory and board member roles. He is actively involved as a member of the Executive Advisory Council for the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the Board of the Gandhi Center for Global Nonviolence at James Madison University (JMU), as well as on the Board of The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. He has served on the Boards of Shenandoah Valley Economic Education, Citizens for Downtown Arts Council of the Valley, Harrisonburg Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, and Mercy House Homeless Shelter. He also serves on the advisory board for Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance.
Embodying the volunteer spirit, Mr. Martorana has been a part of the fundraising committee for the National MS Society and Dinner of Champions in Harrisonburg as a Vice Chair or consultant since 1997. He is a past member of the JMU Parents Council and was appointed by the County Board of Supervisors to a three-year term for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board from 1991-1994. He is also a former Finance Chairman for Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and served on the finance committee of Catholic Campus Ministry at JMU.
During retirement, Charlie is looking forward to perfecting his latest volunteer role as grandpa. In their spare time, Charlie and his wife, Jill, enjoy spending time with their children Nicole and Matthew, daughter-in-law Ashley and grandson Arlo, traveling, hiking, exploring our amazing national parks, gardening, and cooking favorite meals.
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Safety and COVID-19
Thank you for your generous support – we are excited to celebrate with you safely. We've planned every detail of this event with the health and safety of our attendees, volunteers, and staff as our highest priority. Learn more about COVID-19 safety and what to expect.