Dallas Rocks 2008

Hosts Russell Simmons, Pat & Emmitt Smith were joined by the great Dallas crowd to celebrate DEF’s first major event at City Place. Football great and Emmitt Smith co-hosted with Russell Simmons, and along Magic Johnson and others, helped raise a grand total of $320,000 for the Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF). The Diamond Dinner was a success and there were great live auction prizes including, court side seats at the Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center courtesy of Magic Johnson, the 2008 Dallas Rocks Honoree.

Dallas’ Cityplace was packed with an energized crowd. Emmy nominated television personality Suzanne Sena from FOX National served as the Master of Ceremonies while Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Terrell Owens (Dallas Cowboy’s wide receiver), Ray Crockett (former Broncos corner back) and Michael Johnson (Olympic Gold Medalist). and others roused the attendees to help raise the $320,000 for DEF.

Magic Johnson used his charm and influence with his friends and rallied sports stars Smith, Owens, Olympic track star Michael Johnson and Simmons to buy the ‘Dinner with Magic Johnson’ with his ‘Personal Lakers Tickets’ package, of which Johnson offered several more than originally planned, each time pushing the energized crowd to donate another $20,000 for each dinner. The fired-up audience elicited riotous applause as each was scooped up.

Simmons presented Magic Johnson with the Humanitarian Empowerment Award for his tireless work around preventing HIV/AIDS, and Eva Longoria Parker received the Lonestar Empowerment Award for her longstanding work with special needs children and adults through her charity “Eva’s Heroes”

The smashing success of Dallas Rocks sets high hopes for the next Dallas Rocks 2009! New developments coming soon….Click here for more highlights from Dallas Rocks 2008!