WSB-TV News Anchor Monica Pearson receives “Serving Winners" Awards
Actor Boris Kodjoe Hosted Event as US Paralympic Athlete Karin Korb Among Honorees
Atlanta, Ga., July 19, 2011 – On Friday, July 15, Actor and Model Boris Kodjoe hosted “Serving Winners – A Celebration of Women in Tennis Awards” at the offices of King & Spalding in Midtown Atlanta. The awards luncheon helped raise funds and awareness for the USTA Atlanta Youth Tennis Foundation (501c3).
Monica Pearson, the popular News Anchor forWSB-TV, is the first recipient of “Serving Winners” and was recognized for her support of the sport of tennis and the youth of Atlanta.
Boris Kodjoe, named one of “The 50 Most Beautiful People in the World”, trained in Germany as a junior tennis player with former pros Boris Becker and Steffi Graf. Kodjoe came to the United States on a tennis scholarship at Virginia Commonwealth University. He has starred in both film and television, including Tyler Perry’s “Madea’s Family Reunion”, “Soul Food” and on Broadway in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”. Kodjoe participated this week in the Opening Ceremonies at this year’s Atlanta Tennis Championships.
Karin Korb, a former two-time U.S. Paralympic Athlete, was the first wheelchair tennis player in NCAA history to compete in Division 1 tennis at Georgia State University. Korb travels the world inspiring others and teaches wheelchair tennis to wounded military soldiers.
Emmy Award winning News Anchor Pearson was quoted as saying, “tennis helped me make new friends across all socio-economic and religious lines. Tennis is much more than a game of strategy and hitting and running...it is life management.” Pearson has been a volunteer for the USTA, helped the City of Atlanta win $50,000 in prize money for the USTA Best Tennis Town 2010 contest, and she’s supported several community events for children involved in Afterschool tennis programs.
“Serving Winners” is in its inaugural year and recognized the importance of the role of women in the lives of our children and our community. Other honorees included Amy Bryant, Emory University Women’s Tennis Head Coach; and Gloria Wallace, USTA Volunteer. Presenters were Brian Jordan, former Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Falcons All Star; Sam Crenshaw, WXIA-TV Sports Anchor and John Bachman, WSB-TV News Anchor.