2017 Chair Annette Pakula Vice Chairs Michele McKenney & Terri Saltzman DESIGNER BOUTIQUE: Sunday, February 19 & Monday, February 20 – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC NFL Executive Vice President and former football great Troy Vincent will deliver the keynote address during the Mending Broken Hearts with Hope Luncheon, Monday, Feb. 20, 2017 at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples. Vincent’s message, “Leadership over Violence,” will include his personal story of growing up in a home with domestic violence. He will share how his involvement in sports helped him turn his pain into progress and inspired his lifelong commitment to end domestic violence and sexual assault. During his 15 years as a defensive back, Vincent played for the Miami Dolphins, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Washington Redskins and the Buffalo Bills. He has received many community and sports awards including NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year. Prior to serving as vice president of the NFL, he served as President of the NFL Players’ Association from 2004-2008.
At the NFL, Vincent has worked to establish a culture of clarity, consistency and credibility for all players, coaches, clubs and fans and is dedicated to developing future players, preserve and innovate the game, and protect the NFL brand. In 2016, Vincent received the Call to Men Award for Institutional Change for his efforts to raise awareness and prevent violence against girls and women. In 2015, he received the Humanitarian Award: Voice Over Violence, for his work to build healthy relationships and communities free from sexual, domestic and interpersonal violence. Vincent has served on the boards of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the University of Wisconsin Foundation, United Negro College Fund – The Art of Giving Back and Advocates for Athletics Equity. He and his wife Tommi established Love Thy Neighbor CDC, a foundation dedicated to fostering positive change in young people’s lives through character, athletics and academics. “Troy is a nationally recognized voice for those who have no voice,” said Annette Pakula, this year’s chair of the Mending Broken Hearts with Hope Luncheon.
“He is a mentor to former players and their families as well as to the thousands of young people, who look to him for guidance and direction. We are thrilled to have him as our keynote speaker and excited to hear his message and call for social change.” The most beautiful word: Hallelujah. The most beautiful song, originally written and sung by none other than Buddhist, and Ladies’ Man, Leonard Cohen. “And even though it all went wrong, I’ll stand right here before the Lord of song, with nothing on my tongue but ‘Hallelujah’.” It’s, as I say, a desire to affirm my faith in life, not in some formal religious way but with enthusiasm, with emotion…It’s a rather joyous song. I wanted to write something in the tradition of the hallelujah choruses but from a different point of view…It’s the notion that there is no perfection—that this is a broken world and we live with broken hearts and broken lives but still that is no alibi for anything. On the contrary, you have to stand up and say hallelujah under those circumstances.
Then, most memorably, sung by a young man who would, tragically, stay young forever, who would breathe out at the beginning of the song, and finally, never breathe in again. This was the version I first go to know, when, five years ago, my designer Pam Uhlenkamp and I played it again and again in her second floor flat just off downtown Boulder, as we worked endless days and night putting together an issue of elephant. And, then, most famously, by Rufus Wainwright, a version that made it into Shrek, the blockbuster children’s fave movie. I heard there was a secret chord That David played, and it pleased the Lord But you don’t really care for music, do ya? Well it goes like this, the fourth, the fifth The minor fall and the major lift The baffled king composing Hallelujah Well your faith was strong but you needed proof You saw her bathing on the roof Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya She tied you to her kitchen chair
And she broke your throne and she cut your hair And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah Maybe there’s a God above But all I’ve ever learned from love Was how to shoot somebody who out drew ya It’s not a cry that you hear at night It’s not someone whos seen the light It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah Here are the top ten most popular versions, as picked by We the People across the World, on youtube. The only editorial privilege I’ve exercised is selecting the top 10 that have kept some of the original heartache and space within each word…there are many pop, casual, speedy, shmaltzy versions that exhibit breathtaking vocal range and a decided lack of heart. Skip to two minutes in—a surprisingly chill-inducing version, given the context: The most popular version, surprisingly. The blonde man (?) has an amazing voice: American Idol Hallelujah, not my fave:Those lyrics, from that voice. Bonus: Walk the talk show gets classical.
Double bonus: Waylon talks with Ram Dass. Adele’s Humorous “Hello” with Jimmy Fallon & The Roots. Sign up today and read as much Elephant as you like! Only $24 per year. The Great Gatsby (Chapter I) The Great Gatsby (Chapter III) The Great Gatsby (Chapter IV) The Great Gatsby (Chapter V) The Great Gatsby (Chapter VI) The Great Gatsby (Chapter VII) The Great Gatsby (Chapter VIII) The Great Gatsby (Chapter IX) The Great Gatsby Study Guide Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Word of the Day Nearby words for broke broke to the curb Well I heard there was a secret chord That David played and it pleased the Lord But you don't really care for music, do you? Well it goes like this: the fourth, the fifth Your faith was strong but you needed proof Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you She broke your throne and she cut your hair Baby I've been here before I've seen this room and I've walked this floor (you know)