Victory Celebration BBQ & Concert
A Big Success

The Chris Coen Victory Celebration BBQ & Concert was a tremendous success, and for many of those who attended it was like having six events in one:

• A Roswell Reunion for the ages. There were Hornets of all shapes and sizes... past, present and future... players, coaches, cheerleaders, teachers, parents, students and children. It was an incredible collection of people with ties to Roswell, dating from the late ‘60s to 2010.

• A Rock and Roll Concert no one will ever forget. Midlife Crisis with Danny O’Dea took the stage first under the threat of dark skies, but the only thing that rocked during the afternoon was the band. J & J’s All-Stars followed with a stunning performance that featured original material and a collection of covers not often seen by one group.

• Award-winning BBQ with a purpose. This was no ordinary Saturday night cookout, despite the occasional smoke from the burnt hamburgers across the way. John Whetstine served up his mouth-watering BBQ, but as great as it was, it was nothing compared to this incredible man and the amazing story behind how he became involved with this event.

• A silent auction featuring many unique items, including a few from Chris’s former teammates and players -- a baseball bat autographed by a former World Series champion, a game-worn NFL jersey and photos autographed by a member of the defending Super Bowl champions. Even Albert Pujols, the best player in baseball, had a hand in this.

• A company picnic for a company that no longer exists, one where a special group of people once pulled together to do great things -- by far the most important of which proved to be developing a special bond and friendships that will last a lifetime.

• A memorable Saturday afternoon and evening in the park. The Riverside Park on the banks of the Chattahoochee is the perfect setting for all of the above, and one of many parks that makes the Roswell Recreation and Parks Department one of the finest on the planet.

"It was such an unbelievable day for me and my family,” Chris said. “To see friends come in from out of town, from Savannah to North Carolina, and from all around the metro Atlanta area to support us was just overwhelming. And then for the rain to hold off when the forecast was 70%... well, that just goes to prove the power of prayer and good wishes that also helped me get through my eight months of chemotherapy.

“Thank you to everyone who participated -- especially to all of the volunteers, sponsors, band members, and committee members who put the event together. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful friends.”

The greatest testament to Chris is the fact that every single item for this event was donated -- from the two bands, J & J's All-Stars and Midlife Crisis... to the lighting and sound by Staging Directions... to the food, donated by Roosters Café and served hot off the grill by award-winning Heat Hog BBQ... to the other event sponsors, several of whom wanted to remain anonymous... to the awesome collection of items for the silent auction featuring everything from sports memorabilia to stunning photography and original artwork... to the countless volunteers who made it all happen... and, of course, to the great people of the Roswell Recreation and Parks Department, without whom this event would not have been possible.

Chris and the entire Coen family have given so much to the Roswell community for more than four decades. It seemed appropriate, on this day, that it was time for people to give something back to them.

“The memories we have from the event will last a lifetime, which I hope to be many, many years,” Chris said. “While I am currently cancer-free, we have to be vigilant the next few years to make sure it does not come back, and I am sure with your continued prayers and thoughts we will continue to fight off this deadly disease. God bless you all, and I look forward to seeing all of you again in healthier times."

So, yes, there is much to celebrate, but there is also some work to be done.

For more information about Chris, please keep checking back here at www.chriscoencancerfund.com, which will continue to be updated with new information, photos and videos. It also has a link to Caring Bridge, the incredible web site that has provided a tremendous support system for Chris, thanks to the tireless efforts of our friend Jennifer Carnahan. And, please remember, it’s never too late to make an online donation, mail a check or bring on board a new sponsor for this great cause.


Umpires Dedicate All-American
Classic To Chris

Yet another amazing person who has stepped forward to help Chris Coen is Jim Stros, the national director of the National Umpires Association.



Click here for more photos

The NUA umpires recently called the Aflac All-American game at Petco Park in San Diego. They dedicated this game to Chris and wore CCCF logo patches on their right chest in his honor.

The game is still being replayed at various times throughout the day on different sports channels, so please check the listings for your provider. Leading into the bottom of the 8th inning, a national feature story was done on Chris by Fox Sports' Rebecca Haarlow. Jim was also interviewed on the field leading into the story on Chris.

The Fox coverage was nothing short of incredible. Here's an account of how it went...

"The men in blue are doing it for a very good cause today," Fox announcer Daron Sutton said. "There's one man that these umpires have in mind tonight. His name is Chris Coen."

Fox then displayed a photo of Chris with Jim Stros, the national direction of the NUA and the man who made this happen. Jim told Chris's story, and delivered a great message to his old friend.

"Chris, we're out here... our hearts are heavy... we're thinking about you. You're not in this alone. We're praying for you. God bless you. We're dedicating this game to you and we just want you to know we're thinking about you."

Fox then went on to put the web address on the screen and Sutton closed by saying, "Fans at home can help out as well. Log on to chriscoencancerfund.com and make a donation.

Every little bit helps. How about that? This is very neat... very special. It's an honor to work this game, and you can tell they're doing it with a lot of pride, and heavy hearts. A tip of the cap to you."

The NUA has also set up a new program, Strike Out Cancer for Chris. Member umpires are being encouraged to donate one game’s work to benefit Chris.

The NUA also has many more big ideas about how even more umpires can help Chris. For more information, please click on the NUA logo in the left column and visit their web site.