Bob Woodruff Announced as Keynote for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation Annual Spring Luncheon

March 6, 2013 - PRLog -- The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation (CMPF) will host its annual leadership luncheon on April 17 in Uptown Charlotte at the Westin Hotel, with ABC News’s Bob Woodruff as the keynote speaker. The luncheon provides funding for the special needs and projects of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

As one of ABC’s most distinguished correspondents, Woodruff is known for his work as co-anchor of “ABC World News Tonight.” He has traveled around the world to nations such as North Korea and Sudan to present an unprecedented look at international affairs and news.

His dedication to providing Americans with accurate, up-close reporting led him to Iraq to cover the U.S. and Iraqi security forces. It was there, in 2006, that Woodruff was seriously injured by a roadside bomb that left him with a traumatic brain injury. Woodruff took this opportunity to return to journalism only 13 months later in order to chronicle his recovery and the similar plight of thousands of American service members. In 2008, he was honored with a Peabody Award for his reporting of the subject.  Since the accident, the Woodruff family has established the Bob Woodruff Foundation and is committed to assisting injured service members, veterans and their families.

It is Woodruff’s philanthropic spirit, as well as his professional acclaim, that led CMPF to select him as the keynote speaker for the 2013 spring benefit. "We are very excited to have Bob Woodruff keynote this year’s luncheon. CMPD puts themselves at risk for our community every day, and the Foundation exists to make sure they are supported in those efforts. We're here to support them with equipment and technology to keep them safe. It’s a way to let them know we appreciate their sacrifices and want to give back in any way possible. We are honored to have Bob help us share that message with the Charlotte community this year," said Frank Golden, Board Chair of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Foundation Executive Committee.

This year’s event is sponsored by CPI Security and Wells Fargo, The cost per table of eight is $3,000 with 100% of the funds going to future Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation projects. Funding initiatives currently include new equipment for the ASCLD-LAC accredited Crime Lab at police headquarters. The new robotic pieces that they are hoping to add would greatly increase the speed and accuracy of processing DNA. The machines are able to get these improved results with little supervision from staff members, leaving them free to work on other tasks. This would boost efficiency for the entire department, especially officers on active cases, but the new results could also shed new light on cold cases. An officer from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department will be seated at each table, and table hosts are invited to a VIP reception with Bob Woodruff scheduled the morning of the luncheon.

About Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation was chartered in 2004. The Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and provides support for innovation programs and initiatives that are not presently funded by the police department’s budget. The CMPF helps to ensure a safer community for the entire Charlotte-Mecklenburg region.  For more information contact Executive Director Ann Henegar at 704.299.6310 or visit www.charlottepolicefoundation.org.