The 4th annual Denny & Mark’s Pro-Am Jamhosted by the Student Transportation of America Education Foundation, which was held on October 26-27, was another major success raising over $200,000 for charity. The Lowcountry celebrity charity event has raised over $700,000 in its first four years. The fundraiser again featured the partnership of NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, Hootie & the Blowfish founding member and lead guitarist Mark Bryan and Denis Gallagher, CEO of Student Transportation Inc., and his company’s philanthropic arm, the Student Transportation of America Education Foundation. Proceeds from the two-day fundraiser have increased each year and were recently donated to the charitable organizations represented by the three partners, which have a common mission in creating better opportunities for children. The Denny Hamlin Foundation was a beneficiary with the majority of its share being donated to MUSC Children’s Hospital for Cystic Fibrosis research. Mark Bryan’s non-profit, Carolina Studios, and STAEF, also received their portion of the funds raised that will benefit children throughout the Lowcountry. Each year the event picks out a compelling local charity to support with a donation and this year the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church was selected. The oldest AME church in the south, it is known as ‘Mother Emanuel’ and was the site of a terrible tragedy last June. The Pro-Am Jam showed its support for the good works of the church with a $10,000 donation from the proceeds of a special event T-shirt that incorporated the event logo into an ‘I Am Charleston Strong’ message. The dates for the 5th Annual Denny & Mark’s Pro-Am Jam hosted by the Student Transportation of America Education Foundation are October 24-25.(Empire Sports Management)
