(November 5, 2010)David Pickler is being honored on National Philanthropy Day, as the 2010 Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser for his philanthropic leadership in our community. The 2010 Crystal Awards luncheon will honor individuals, businesses and charitable organizations on Thursday, November 18^th at the Holiday Inn, University of Memphis. This year’s Crystal Awards is the 25^th Anniversary of the Memphis Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals as well as the 50^th Anniversary of AFP International.

Pickler is being honored for his fundraising leadership and philanthropic efforts on behalf of the Memphis Oral School for the Deaf. Under Pickler’s leadership, MOSD was able to reach a ground-breaking joint use agreement with Kingsway Christian Church that enabled the school to build the first permanent home in the fifty year history of MOSD. Pickler then led efforts to raise over $2 million to construct the state-of-the-art facility. After successful completion of the Capital Campaign, Pickler was elected as MOSD Board Chair, where he was undertaken to build an endowment to ensure the long term financial viability of the school. To date, this effort has raised over $1,800,000 in reserve funds for the benefit of MOSD.

The 2010 Crystal Awards will also honor Marilyn and Jack Belz as Outstanding Philanthropist, Huey’s as Outstanding Corporation, First Tennessee Foundation as Outstanding Foundation or Philanthropic Organization, Virginia Stallworth of the Memphis Child Advocacy Center as Outstanding Fundraising Executive, and Ryan Fleur, President and CEO of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra as Outstanding Executive Leader.