Before last season’s NFL playoffs, there may not have been a less-heralded position in sports than the center in professional football.

The center hikes the ball to the quarterback and is often noticed only if he makes a mistake.

Fast-forward a few months, and – my, oh, my – have things changed.

Through an impassioned speech while dressed in full Mummers garb at the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl parade, center Jason Kelce’s popularity is now at an all-time high, perhaps to the delight of his peers around the league.

The entire Delaware Valley may now be a big fan of Kelce, but the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County is an even bigger fan. And that fandom predates the Birds’ memorable run to their first Lombardi Trophy.

In 2015, Kelce was one of the first NFL players to speak publicly against domestic abusers.

“There are three (types) of people I have zero respect for in this world,” Kelce told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It’s people who hit women, people who molest children, and rapists.”

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As a nod to his strong stance against domestic violence, an authentic Mummers hat signed by Kelce is among the live auction items when The Friends of the DVCCC holds its annual, signature fundraising event on Saturday, March 24 at the White Manor Country Club in Malvern.

This year, the host committee is transforming the event, embracing All That’s Purple as its ongoing theme, adding more emphasis and exuberance on the successes of the survivors, as well as celebrating the support behind a culture of change. This year’s affair, in particular, focuses on the countless accomplishments that have been achieved as a result of the strength and courage to rise up, both individually and collectively.

“We all work for a day when there are no more purple ribbons on lapels, when domestic violence is a thing of the past, when purple sinks into the sunset,” said Dr. Dolly Wideman-Scott, the DVCCC’s CEO. “For today, however, we are taking this night to recognize all that’s powerful and all that’s positive about purple.”

This fun-filled event helps raise money to ensure the sustainability of free services the DVCCC provides to individuals and families living in Chester County.

The Dueling Pianos, which has sold out West Chester’s Uptown Theatre for the past several performances, will entertain the audience throughout the evening. A caricaturist – as well as live and silent auctions, raffles, and more – will round out this celebratory evening.

Other live auction items include a private gourmet dinner for 12 with Victoria Wyeth, which will include a presentation about her grandfather, the great American artist Andrew Wyeth. Also being auctioned are four Philadelphia Flyers tickets, including an exclusive opportunity to watch the team take the ice and receive its season awards from the Locker Room Lounge, for the final game of the season against the New York Rangers.

The evening will feature cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, followed by many epicurean features like an Asian-themed station, a traditional roast dinner station, and more.

Click here to purchase tickets or learn about sponsorship opportunities.

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