WATCH: Dot’s Angels 6th Annual Backpack Giveaway at Twisted Birch in Rockledge Big Success

Space Coast non-profit gives away over 400 backpacks

WATCH: Local non-profit, Dot’s Angels, founded by Juan Mallory, gave away over 400 backpacks filled with school supplies to Brevard County students on Saturday, July 29, at the Twisted Birch restaurant in Rockledge. The Friday Night Locker Room’s Orville Susong and Steve Wilson were on hand to support and cover the event.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – By all accounts, Dot’s Angels 6^th Annual Backpack Giveaway was a success. The event, which was scheduled to start Saturday, July 29, at 10 a.m. at Twisted Birch in Rockledge, had cars lined up at 8 a.m. The Friday Night Locker Room’s Orville Susong and Steve Wilson were on hand to support and cover the event.

The founder of Dot’s Angels, Juan Mallory, told Susong, “We told people to come out a little early because of the heat, but we did not expect them to show up at 8 a.m.”  However, with the help of their many volunteers, everything worked out fine. Mallory went on to say, “We are just trying to help out our community.” And help, they did. Dot’s Angels gave out over 400 backpacks, all filled with school supplies.

Mallory could not say enough good things about the volunteers. He told Susong, “When you have a group of people that support your vision and they don’t question anything, it puts you on top of the world.”

Dot’s Angels is an all-volunteer, non-profit, founded by Mallory in memory of his late mother, Dot, who he described as the “rock” of their family.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Steve Wilson was born in DeRidder, Louisiana and grew up in both New Orleans and Macon, Georgia.  He moved to Brevard County in 1984 and retired from local government as the Community Advocate/Assistant to the City Manager with the City of Rockledge in 2018.

Among the awards and accolades Steve has received over the years are 15 + year Rockledge Little League volunteer, Brevard Public School Jefferson Award Recipient, Rockledge High School Raider Booster Award 2001, 2006, City of Rockledge Employee of the Year 2006, Rockledge Kiwanian of the Year 2006-2007, City of Rockledge Quality Public Service Award 2008, 2012, 2017, Rockledge Kiwanis Citizen of the Year 2012-2013, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Sportscasting 2015, Rockledge High School Leadership and Service Award 2016, Central Florida Humanitarian Award 2017, Space Coast Inspiration Award – 2018 and Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement – 2020.

Wilson is especially proud of is chairing two fundraisers in support of pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in honor of Merritt Island resident Julie Spurlock that raised over $25,000.00.

He has been a partner, along with Orville Susong, for the past 24 years with the Friday Night Locker Room, a broadcasting team that covers and reports on a wide variety of local events that are of significance to the residents of the Space Coast and beyond. Their mission is to promote youth sports, support first responders and law enforcement personnel, and showcase community and charitable events that are produced by our nonprofit partners in central Florida.

The Friday Night Locker Room has awarded hundreds of sports achievement plaques to Brevard County student-athletes over the years. They have also awarded more than $18,000 in academic scholarships to Brevard County high school seniors.

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