Honors: Salata honored
The list of accolades for Paul Salata, the esteemed Newport Beach
businessman who has spent a lifetime thinking of others, will grow May
23, when the former NFL player and Irrelevant Week founder will be given
the first “An American Tribute” award at The Grove theater in Anaheim.
“An American Tribute award will honor Paul because of the many things
he has done for our community,” said Dan Rogers, president and CEO of
Goodwill Industries. “He truly embodies the spirit of America and the
free enterprise system. He is a giver of time, talent and a treasure to
others.”
After playing receiver at USC, Salata continued professionally with
the San Francisco 49ers, the Baltimore Colts, the Pittsburgh Steelers and
in the Canadian Football League.
He retired from pro sports at age 27 to begin a career in sales. He
prospered as a contractor of pipelines, streets, gravel and cement and
later did equally well in real estate investment.
In 1971, he started an organization now called the Orange County Youth
Sports Foundation. This nonprofit group has raised millions of dollars to
assist little leagues, handicapped youth sports, athletes who have been
injured and funded scholarships for deserving student-athletes.
Irrelevant Week, perhaps his most publicized creation, began in 1976,
honoring the final pick in the annual NFL draft. Based on the concept of
“doing something nice for someone for no good reason,” the event has
blossomed into an internationally recognized week of festivities in
Newport Beach to honor Mr. Irrelevant.
Individual tickets for the May 23 dinner are $175 each and event
sponsorships are available from $2,500-$50,000. Proceeds from the event
will benefit Goodwill Industries of Orange County and the American Red
Cross Orange County Chapter.
For information, phone (714) 547-6308, extension 311 or e-mail
info@anamericantribute.org.
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